Sela Tunnel Project: Inauguration Awaits Third-Party Safety Audit

Tawang: The eagerly awaited Sela Tunnel Project, a strategic initiative providing all-weather connectivity to Tawang, will only be inaugurated post a comprehensive third-party safety audit, as confirmed by a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) official.

The anticipated audit is slated to conclude by mid-February this year, setting the stage for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely inauguration of the tunnel, revealed P K H Singh, Additional Director General (East) of the BRO, during an interview.

Despite the construction nearing completion at the tunnel’s elevated location of 13,000 feet, Singh highlighted the importance of the ongoing safety measures. Physical and environmental audits, integral to the contract, have already been executed, yielding positive results.

In light of the Silkyara tunnel incident in Uttarakhand, the BRO DG ordered a third-party audit for the Sela tunnel, emphasizing its strategic significance near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Singh explained.

The Sela Tunnel, positioned near Sela Pass, addresses the need for a viable alternative to the Balipara-Charidwar-Tawang Road, often impassable due to prolonged snowfall and landslides induced by heavy rainfall.

“The tunnel aims to bolster the army’s capabilities at the LAC,” Singh emphasized, underlining the project’s strategic importance.