• The Sela Tunnel is the longest bi-lane road tunnel in the world. It is located in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh
• The total length of the project will be around 12 km. It includes the tunnels, the approach and the link roads,
• The tunnel is being constructed by the Border Roads Organisation at an altitude of 13,800 ft near the Indo-China border.
• It is being built on the BCT Road – the Balipara, Charduar and Tawang, which is more than 300 km long. It connects West Kameng, East Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh to the rest of the country.

Why is the project important?

• All-weather connectivity to Tawang and other forward areas in the sector will be the most important advantage that the project promises.
• At the moment, Sela pass stays closed for a few winter months.
• The project will provide a new alignment on the axis towards the LAC, and allow the movement of military and civil vehicles all through the year.

The significance of the tunnel

• China is undertaking massive infrastructure development and troop build-up in the Rest of the Arunachal Pradesh (RALP) area.
• In military parlance, the RALP is an area in Arunachal Pradesh other than the Kameng area.
• Other than the Kameng area consisting of the East and West Kameng districts, the rest of the State is referred to by the Army as the RALP.

Source:

1. Indian Express