Expeditiously Complete Road Projects: CM Pema Khandu to Border Roads Organisation

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday requested the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for expeditious completion of various road projects in the state.

Attending a meeting with the Director General Border Roads Lt Gen Harpal Singh and other officials at BRO headquarters in New Delhi, Khandu had discussion on various road projects being executed by the organization in the state, an official communiqué informed. The chief minister also discussed with the BRO on the status of proposed construction of Sela tunnel project.

The Centre had on February last year announced the government’s plan to build a tunnel through the Sela Pass located at an elevation of 13,700 ft which ensure faster movement of troops in Tawang, a strategically-located town on Arunachal Pradesh bordering China. The proposal to build the Sela tunnel comes amidst concern in the defence establishments over China’s growing assertiveness along the nearly 4000-km long Sino-Indian border.

The Sela Pass is located between Tawang and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh and considered crucial from strategic perspective. The BRO will construct the tunnel which would cut down the distance to China border through Tawang by 10 km.

The tunnel would cut down at least an hour of travel time between the Army’s 4 Corps headquarters at Tezpur in Assam and Tawang. Moreover, the tunnel would ensure that National Highway 13 and especially the 171 km stretch between Bomdila and Tawang, remains accessible in all weather conditions.

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