Itanagar, June 20: Arunachal Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister, Chowna Mein, stated on Saturday that the SeLa Tunnel has brought a revolutionary change to connectivity in the Tawang region. This tunnel now allows access to Tawang throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions, facilitating easier movement, strengthening strategic infrastructure, and opening new avenues for regional development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s longest two-lane SeLa Tunnel, located at an altitude of 13,000 feet, on March 9, 2024. This project, consisting of two tunnels and a link road, connects the Tawang area year-round, situated near the tri-junction border of India-China (Tibet) and Bhutan.
In several posts on the social media platform X, Chowna Mein emphasized that the SeLa Tunnel has transformed the entire region. It ensures safe year-round travel and has made the movement of Indian armed forces more efficient.
He remarked, “The route, which was often blocked due to heavy snowfall, is now open all year round. The SeLa Tunnel has revolutionized connectivity in Tawang, enabling access in all seasons, strengthening strategic infrastructure, and creating new possibilities for development in the region.”
The Deputy Chief Minister noted that this project, constructed by the Border Roads Organization (BRO), is part of a broader infrastructure development campaign in the Northeast. Improved roads, modern railway stations, and new infrastructure projects are connecting this region more robustly to the rest of the country than ever before.
He added that enhanced connectivity is boosting economic activities, revitalizing tourism, and accelerating overall regional development.
Chowna Mein pointed out that connectivity was once the biggest challenge in the Northeast, but today, high bridges, expanded railway networks, and world-class infrastructure are connecting people and opening new pathways for growth.
He highlighted that the Northeast has witnessed historic changes over the past 12 years and has now become a crucial part of India’s development narrative. Improved connectivity, modern infrastructure, peace, digital empowerment, healthcare facilities, and growing economic opportunities have given this region a new identity.
The Deputy Chief Minister acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special focus on the Northeast, stating that the central government’s continuous investments and people-centric policies have provided new direction to the region’s immense potential.
He reported that over 96 percent of railway electrification, 100 percent domestic electrification, eight new greenfield airports, and the expansion of the railway network have laid a strong foundation for development.
According to Chowna Mein, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, and Mizoram have achieved 100 percent railway electrification. Since 2014, more than 1,500 kilometers of new railway lines have been laid in the Northeast, with over ₹95,000 crores invested in the railway sector. The operation of the Vande Bharat train has commenced in Assam, while modernization of over 60 railway stations in the region is underway under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
Leave a Comment