Travelling to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh will now be possible throughout the year. Connectivity to the city is currently unviable in winter due to heavy snowfall blocking the roads. The Border Roads Organization (BRO) in Arunachal Pradesh is building the Sela Pass tunnel at the height of 13,000 feet which will provide the Indian Army and travellers all-weather access towards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near the Chinese border. 

Completion Deadline

The tunnel is expected to be complete by July of next year, allowing Indian army personnel a more flexible route of movement. Currently, the army and ordinary folk who regularly ply the route are using the Balipara-Chariduar road to reach Tawang as their movement gets restricted due to snowfall. 

Connecting Route

The Sela-Charbela ridge separating the Tawang district from the West Kameng district will be cut through by the Sela Pass tunnel, connecting Baisakhi to Nuranang. Once complete, the tunnel will cut the distance by road by 8 to 9 km, benefitting the army and travellers.

The Sela Pass is among the two tunnels and a twin tube in the pipeline, with the second tunnel comprising a bi-lane tube for traffic and another emergency escape tube. An escape passage is necessary alongside tunnels which are longer than 1,500 metres.