PM inaugurates world’s longest twin-lane tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Mar 09, 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sela Tunnel, the world’s longest twin-lane tunnel, in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday.

Situated at an altitude of 13,000 feet, the strategically important Sela Tunnel will ensure all-weather connectivity to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

 

Following the tunnel’s inauguration, PM Modi, in a speech, said, "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."

PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the project in February 2019, but its completion was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Constructed at a cost of Rs 825 crore, the project consists of two tunnels and over 8 km of approach roads, with a total length of approximately 12 km. The first tunnel is a single-tube tunnel spanning 980 metres, while the second serves as an emergency escape route, measuring 1.5 km in length.

Situated near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Sela Tunnel is strategically crucial, providing year-round access to Tawang and other forward areas bordering China.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled projects worth Rs 55,600 crore in the Northeast. The PM unveiled the projects spread across Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh at a programme in Itanagar. The PM inaugurated the Sela tunnel by flagging off an Arunachal Pradesh State Transport bus that went through it. In all, the PM unveiled development projects worth more than 41,000 crore in Arunachal Pradesh, reported PTI.

Courtesy: India Today