Tawang gets year-round road access as the Sela Tunnel opens to traffic

The Sela Tunnel, a 13-kilometre twin-tube passage carved beneath the 13,700-foot Sela Pass, opened to civilian traffic this week, permanently ending the winter isolation of Tawang and the surrounding valleys.

Previously the pass could close for weeks during heavy snow, cutting the town from the rest of Arunachal Pradesh. Officials say the tunnel also cuts the drive from Tezpur by nearly three hours.

Hotels in Tawang report a jump in bookings, and farmers in the Monpa belt expect easier movement of apples and kiwi to market.