Nechiphu tunnel

About the tunnel-

• The 500 m Nechiphu tunnel along the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road, which connects Balipara in Assam to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh bordering China, is located at an altitude of 5700 ft.
• The D-shaped tunnel has been excavated under ‘Project Vartak’ and will accommodate two-way traffic. 
• It will be equipped with modern lighting and safety facilities.
• It will not only provide safe all weather passage but will also cut short the travel time by 30 min and reduce the road distance by 7 km of the heavily foggy stretch and help reduce the carbon footprint of the roads in the area.
• The tunnel will be provided with a state-of-the-art electro-mechanical system including fire fighting devices, auto illumination system and SCADA controlled monitoring systems.
• It will also accommodate raised footpaths on both sides for safer pedestrian movement which will have ducts to pass power cables, OFC cables and utility lines to strengthen the civic amenities infrastructure.
• The new Austrian tunneling method has been used to achieve construction at a fast pace. 

     The Project Vartak has also completed the excavation work on another strategic tunnel, the twin tube – 1,555 metre and 980 metre – “Sela Tunnel Project” on the same road, on January 22, 2022.