Arunachal Pradesh: BRO Completes Excavation Work Of Strategically Important Nechiphu Tunnel
Nechiphu Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh (Ministry of Defence)Snapshot
Once in service, the Nechiphu Tunnel and the Sela Tunnel will provide safe, all-weather connectivity on Balipara - Charduar - Tawang (BCT) Road in Arunachal Pradesh.
In a step closer to providing all-weather road connectivity to Tawang, Border Road Organisation (BRO) conducted a final breakthrough marking the completion of excavation work of the Nechiphu Tunnel in West Kameng District Arunachal Pradesh on Friday (20 May).
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of this project on 12 October 2020.
The Nechiphu Tunnel, at an altitude of 5,700 feet, is a 500-metre-long ‘D-shaped, Single Tube Double Lane Tunnel’ on the Balipara - Charduar - Tawang (BCT) Road.
Along with the Nechiphu Tunnel project, the Project Vartak of BRO has completed the excavation work of another strategic tunnel, the Sela Tunnel Project, on the same road, in January 2022.
The Sela Tunnel Project comprises Tunnel-1, a 980 m long single tube tunnel, and Tunnel-2, a 1,555 m long twin-tube tunnel.
Once in service, the Nechiphu Tunnel and the Sela Tunnel will provide safe, all-weather connectivity on the BCT Road.
“The ongoing tunnel construction is being accomplished by cutting through fragile and highly fractured rock strata. The attendant challenges are being tackled on a daily basis through strict 3D monitoring and through proactive application of desired tunnel support systems in accordance with the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM),” the Ministry of Defence said.
“The Nechiphu tunnel will accommodate two-way traffic and will be equipped with modern lighting and safety facilities. The tunnel has been conceived to bypass extreme foggy conditions prevailing around Nechiphu Pass which have caused hindrance to general traffic and military convoys since many decades,” it added.
The Nechiphu tunnel will be provided with a state-of-the-art electro-mechanical system, including fire fighting devices, an auto illumination system and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) controlled monitoring systems.
It will also accommodate raised footpaths on both sides for safer pedestrian movement. Also, the tunnel will have ducts for Power cables, optical fibre cables and utility lines to strengthen the civic amenities infrastructure.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.
