ITANAGAR: Aiming to rescue the stranded tourists and citizens, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu took a remarkable step by opening the Sela Tunnel ahead of its inauguration.
The region has been experiencing harsh snowstorms for the past few days which resulted in hundreds of people being stranded in high-altitude areas such as Tawang.
It is also reported that a warning of an avalanche has also been made due to the severe snowstorm.
Responding to the crisis, the chief minister ordered the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to open the under-construction tunnel for the safety of the public.
Slated for inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, the Sela Tunnel will now reduce travel time and enhance accessibility during the crisis.
Due to the two days of heavy snowstorms in the Sela Pass near Tawang, close to the Indo-China border, hundreds of tourists were left stranded while vehicles were skidding and getting stuck in the snowdrifts.
The completion of the construction of the Sela Tunnel is being anticipated with the current deadline of March 2024. The project being constructed by Patel Engineering Ltd, includes two tunnels and 8.780 km of approach road which is expected to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India.
The tunnel which stretches through the Sela-Charbela ridge will be the world’s longest bilane tunnel at 13,000 feet after it is fully constructed.
It is also to be noted that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is constructing the significant tunnel under Project Vartak.
Earlier on Friday night, at least 70 tourists along with some vehicles were rescued by the BRO in higher reaches of Tawang. The 42 Border Roads Task Force of Project Vartak sent a team who safely evacuated the stranded individuals. The operation ended at around 4:40 in the morning with the team working through freezing temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius.
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