ITANAGAR, Jun 27: The strategically important Nechiphu tunnel in West Kameng district will be made operational ‘soon’ with its works almost getting the finishing touches.
Once completed, the all-weather tunnel along the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) road will be a major boost to the nation’s military prowess, as it will cut short the distance for the troops to reach the border with China by six kms and travel time by 20 minutes.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, who yesterday inspected and passed through the tunnel while on his way to Tawang, informed that “it will be opened to public traffic soon”.
Appreciating the BRO in making the dream project a reality, Mein said: “Kudos to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on the successful construction work for the Nechiphu Tunnel at Bhalukpong-Bomdila road (NH-13), Arunachal Pradesh. Their commitment to excellence has brought us a unique 500-meter-long "D-shaped, single tube double lane tunnel" on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) Road in the West Kameng district.
The Nechiphu Tunnel is a testament to their engineering prowess and their dedication to the development of our nation's infrastructure.”
The unique 500-mtr-long D-shaped single tube 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.
The tunnel is provided with a state-of-the-art electro-mechanical system including firefighting devices, auto illumination system and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) controlled monitoring systems. It will also accommodate raised footpaths on both sides for a safer pedestrian movement which will have ducts for power cables, optical fibre cables and utility lines to strengthen the civic amenities infrastructure, sources said.