Arunachal tunnel to cut short travel time to LAC

GUWAHATI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday virtually laid the foundation of a tunnel at Nechiphu in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh at a height of 5,600 ft. Once complete, it will shorten travel time for troops till the LAC through Tawang, which China claims to be its territory.
Defence PRO Lt Col P Khngsai said the defence minister, in his virtual address, said the strategically important Nechiphu Tunnel on the road to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is bi-lane tunnel, which would ensure all-weather connectivity across Nechiphu Pass, besides providing a safe and secure passage through accident-prone areas. Singh also virtually dedicated to the nation 44 bridges of strategic importance built by Border Roads Organization (BRO) across 7 states and UTs.
The BRO is already constructing another tunnel through the Sela Pass situated at a height of 13,700 ft in Tawang district, which would further cut down the distance to the border with China through Tawang. The two strategically important tunnels will enable troops to reach the LAC at least an hour earlier from the Army’s 4th Corps headquarters at Tezpur in Assam.