Project Vartak: BRO Completed the Excavation of Nechiphu Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh
Once in service, Nechiphu tunnel 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.
ITANAGAR/ TEZPUR- Project Vartak of Border Roads Organisation has completed the excavation of Nechiphu Tunnel. Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, DG Border initiated the last blast through a Video Conferencing. Project Vartak in the last 18 months has completed the excavation of Sela and Nechiphu tunnels located on BCT road connecting Balipara to Tawang, informed Lt Col A S Walia, PRO (Defence), Tezpur.
Brig Harish Kumar, Chief engineer of Project Vartak brought out the technical aspects of the 500 m Nechiphu tunnel being constructed by Border Roads Organization between Km 82.00 to 88.00 along Balipara – Charduar- Tawang Road at an altitude of 5700 ft. This D-shaped 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 remained to be a hindrance to general traffic and military convoys since many decades.
Once in service, Nechiphu tunnel 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. This environment friendly construction and reduction in distance will also help reduce the carbon foot print of the roads in the area. This is another major step towards sustainable development goals of the government.
Construction of the tunnel is being accomplished by cutting through fragile Himalayan Mountains with highly fractured rock under low overburden. The same is being tackled on daily basis through strict 3D monitoring and through proactive application of desired tunnel support system. New Austrian Tunneling method is being used to achieve construction at a fast pace. BRO Karamyogis created a record on this tunnel by excavating 100 m in just 40 days.
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.The tunnel 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.
This is one of the many tunnels conceived by Border Roads Organization along Border areas to improve existing road geometrics, avoid foggy areas, circumvent slide prone areas and reduce black spots on the roads to offer greater safety and all weather connectivity to the Military and Civil traffic movement,
