Come rain or
snow, the newly completed Sela Tunnel is set to provide the Indian Army with
uninterrupted access to the China frontier, specifically the challenging route
to Tawang. This region, where Indian and Chinese troops clashed in December
2022, features the formidable Sela mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, reaching
an altitude of nearly 14,000 feet. The extreme conditions, including
temperatures plummeting to -20 degrees Celsius and heavy snowfall, often
rendered the passage impassable, with diesel even freezing at times. However,
the newly constructed all-weather Sela Tunnel ensures year-round connectivity
between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang.
Comprising
two main tunnels, and a third serving as an escape route alongside the longer
tunnel, the Sela Tunnel has been bored through the mountain at an elevation of
13,116 feet. This engineering marvel reduces the distance between Tawang and
Dirang in Arunachal's West Kameng district by 12km, cutting travel time by
nearly 90 minutes one way. As the longest bi-lane (two-lane) tunnel in the
world at such altitude, the shorter tube (T1) measures 1003.34m, while the
longer tube (T2) spans 1594.90m. To ensure safety in case of emergencies, a
1584.38m-long, narrower tunnel has been constructed parallel to T2, allowing
users to escape in the event of a cave-in.
Equipped
with a sophisticated ventilation system, powerful lighting, and firefighting
capabilities, the tunnels can accommodate the daily passage of 3,000 cars and
2,000 trucks. Of strategic importance, these tunnels enable rapid troop
deployment along the eastern sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC),
addressing the Army's need for swift movement of troops, weapons, supplies, and
heavy machinery in winter conditions.
Following
skirmishes with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) between 2020 and 2022, the
Indian Army has prioritized the deployment of Zorawar light tanks along the
LAC, as the challenging terrain is unsuitable for main battle tanks like the
T-90, T-72, and Arjun. The completion of the Sela Tunnel allows these light
tanks to utilize the roads for faster deployment along the border.
The Border
Roads Organisation, responsible for this challenging infrastructure project,
utilized the Austrian tunnelling method in its construction. More than 50
engineers and 800 crew members worked on the project, facing challenges such as
a cloudburst in July that rendered approach roads inaccessible. Following a
third-party audit, the Sela Tunnel is now ready for inauguration, marking a
significant milestone in enhancing connectivity and strategic capabilities in
the region
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