Northeast Desk, 9th March: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the strategically significant Sela Tunnel project today in Arunachal Pradesh. Built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of Rs 825 crore, the tunnel is situated at an altitude of 13,700 feet in West Kameng district, connecting Tezpur to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Sela Tunnel project, constructed using the new Austrian Tunnelling Method, is an engineering marvel with safety features of the highest standards. It will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang across Sela Pass on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road, enhancing transport efficiency and strategic importance for the country. The foundation stone for the Sela Tunnel was laid by the Prime Minister in February 2019.
Additionally, Prime Minister Modi dedicated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than 41,000 crore in Arunachal Pradesh.
Among these projects, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project (2880MW) in Lower Dibang Valley district. With a cost exceeding Rs 31,875 crore, it will be the highest dam structure in the country, generating power, moderating floods, and fostering socio-economic development.
Other projects include road, environmental, and tourism initiatives under the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’, upgradation of schools into 50 Golden Jubilee schools, and the construction of a double-lane road providing connectivity from Donyi-Polo Airport to Naharlagun railway station.
Prime Minister Modi also dedicated various important projects in Arunachal Pradesh, including road projects, around 1100 projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission, and 170 telecom towers under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). Moreover, he handed over more than 35,000 houses constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to beneficiaries.
During the programme, Prime Minister Modi launched a new Industrial Development Scheme for North East, UNNATI (Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme). Worth Rs 10,000 crore and fully funded by the Government of India, UNNATI aims to strengthen the industrial ecosystem, attract investment, and catalyze economic growth and development in the North Eastern States. The scheme offers incentives for capital investment, interest subvention, and manufacturing and services-linked incentives to approved units, alongside a transparent registration portal for eligible units.
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