THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, March 9: The Sela Tunnel, the longest twin-lane tunnel in the world, was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday in Arunachal Pradesh.
With a total length of almost 12 km, the project was built at a cost of Rs 825 crore and includes two tunnels and more than 8 km of approach roads. The first tunnel is a 980-meter-long single-tube tunnel, and the second tunnel, which is 1.5 km long, provides an emergency escape route.
Ensuring all-weather connection to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, the strategically significant Sela Tunnel is situated at an altitude of 13,000 feet.
The Sela Tunnel, which offers year-round access to Tawang and other forward locations bordering China, is strategically significant due to its location close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
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The commencement of the project was initiated by PM Modi in February 2019; however, its progress was hindered by the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to delays in its completion.
PM Modi also launched projects totalling Rs 55,600 crore in the Northeast region during an event held in Itanagar on Saturday. These projects, spanning across Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh, were unveiled to bolster development in the region.
In an address following the tunnel’s inauguration, Prime Minister Modi stated, “You must have heard of ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’. You will understand its significance once you visit Arunachal. The entire Northeast bears witness to this. I laid the foundation of the Sela Tunnel here in 2019, and today it has been inaugurated.”
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