57-636: Sela Tunnel is a road tunnel at 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) which ensures all-weather connectivity between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh . This tunnel is the longest bi-lane tunnel in the world at 13,000 feet. Situated 400 metres below the Sela Pass, the Sela Tunnel offers a vital passage, even during the winter season. The tunnel helps them move troops, weapons, and machinery quickly along
114-446: A comparatively high quality of life. A 2006 survey ranked Guwahati 17th among all the large and medium-sized Indian cities. The city provides competitive residential and working environments with beautiful landscapes, pleasant climate, modern shopping areas, modern apartments, and bungalows, and considerably developed social infrastructure. A centrally funded four-lane, ambitious East-West Corridor will pass through Guwahati and connect all
171-595: A project embarked on by Ministry of Urban Development , Government of India. Guwahati has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cwa ), falling just short of a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw ). Highest recorded temperature: 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) on 24 April 2014. Lowest recorded temperature: 3.0 °C (37.4 °F) on 30 January 1964. Guwahati has been ranked 36th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 2 3-10L Population cities) in India. The city has
228-541: A said metropolitan area. Guwahati is the principal seat of the Gauhati High Court . It acts as the High Court of Assam and also of Nagaland , Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh with their outlying benches of Kohima , Aizawl and Itanagar , respectively. Gauhati High Court came in effect from 5 April 1948. It initially had its sittings at Shillong but was shifted to Gauhati from 14 August 1948. Guwahati also houses
285-662: Is 37 km away from the town of Tawang in India's Tawang district and 43 km from the town of Tsona Dzong in China's Tsona County. The pass currently serves as a trading point between Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet. It is also an agreed Border Personnel Meeting point for the security forces of China and India. An old traders road went from Tawang via Milakatong La Pass ("La" in the Tibetan Language means "pass") to Bum La Pass and finally to Tsona Dzong in Tibet . The road to Bum La
342-557: Is a Sino-India friendship sign here. It is one of the five officially agreed Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army of China for regular consultations and interactions between the two armies to improve relations. Here, there is a hut on the India side where border meetings are held by the rival armies. A special permit is required to visit Bum La Pass. The Permits can be requested at
399-561: Is also a historical route, the People's Liberation Army of China invaded India during the 1962 Sino-Indian War . Here in Bum La Pass one of the fiercest battles, the Battle of Bum La Pass , took place in the 1962 Sino-Indian War . In 2006, Bumla pass was re-opened to traders for the first time in 44 years. Traders from both sides of the pass were permitted to enter each other's territories, in addition to postal workers from each country. It
456-664: Is also named after her. Nuranang Falls , north of Sela Tunnel and 2 km east of Jang , are named after Nura. The Sela Tunnel cuts through the Sela–Charbela ridge, which separates the Tawang district from the West Kameng district ( Dirang Circle ). It is located a few kilometres to the west of the Sela Pass . The tunnel runs at an elevation of 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), in contrast to the Sela Pass at 4,200 metres (13,800 ft). It avoids
513-486: Is called Tso in Tibetan) that featured Madhuri Dixit ( Bollywood actress) in the movie Koyla , as a result this lake is sometimes also called Madhuri lake . The lake is about 20 km from Tawang town, about 7 km beyond the bifurcation of road leading to Bum La Pass . There is a Heap of Stones here where visitors place pebbles as gratitude to the mighty Himalayas and the guardians of our northern frontiers. There
570-463: Is located at 4,200 m but the two tunnels are located at the height of 3,000 m (10,000 feet). The tunnel cuts through Sela-Chabrela ridge. A new greenfield road 12.37 km long from the tunnel will meet the existing Balipara-Chaudur-Tawang road on the Nurarang side and the hairpin bends to the Sela Pass will be avoided. The tunnel constructed using the latest New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM)
627-536: Is much below the snow line allowing all weather travel without the challenges of snow clearance. The tunnel will add to the tourist potential of Tawang and attract more tourists making Tawang a more popular destination in North East region. Guwahati Guwahati ( Assamese: [ɡua.ɦa.ti] ) is the largest city of the Indian state of Assam , and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur ,
SECTION 10
#1733085634133684-425: Is often covered with heavy snow throughout the year. It is one of the most off-beat passes in the world. Visit by civilian tourist of India is permissible with permission from the Indian Army . The track is very treacherous, only SUVs advisable, and that too only on clear weather day with no snowfall or rainfall. Created by falling rocks, boulders and trees in an earthquake, there is a Sangestar Tso lake (lake
741-738: Is situated 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Guwahati. The Guwahati Municipal Corporation , the city's local government, administers an area of 216 square kilometres (83 sq mi),. At the same time, the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is the planning and development body of Greater Guwahati Metropolitan Area. Guwahati is the largest city in Northeast India . The Guwahati region hosts diverse wildlife including rare animals such as Asian elephants, pythons, tigers, rhinoceros, gaurs , primate species, and endangered birds. Guwahati derives its name from
798-534: Is the central educational hub of Northeast India. Among the esteemed institutions is the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT), an autonomous institute dedicated in the field of technical studies in India. Cotton University , erstwhile Cotton College is yet another century-old institution in the fields of Science and Arts. Guwahati has numerous educational institutes and colleges such as: There are various private schools too like: Pandu , located on
855-565: Is the headquarters of Assam Police . The city is under the Police Commissionerate of Guwahati headed by the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati. It is divided into three districts: East Police District, Central Police District, and West Police District, each headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police. Each police district consists of officers, not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, functioning as executive magistrates within
912-647: Is the local body responsible for governing, developing and managing the city. It is divided into 60 municipal wards. Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is an agency responsible for planning and development of the greater Guwahati Metropolitan Area and for revising the Guwahati Master Plan and Building Bylaws to cover an area of 3,214 square kilometres (1,241 sq mi) by 2025. Guwahati consists of four assembly constituencies: Jalukbari, Dispur, Gauhati East and Gauhati West, all of which are part of Gauhati (Lok Sabha constituency) . Guwahati
969-494: The Saraighat Bridge and the other continuing west towards LGB International Airport via Gauhati University (Jalukbari). There are also many river ports/jetties along this corridor. The third major corridor extends towards the east (around 15 km [9.3 mi] from the city-center) linking Noonmati ( Guwahati Refinery ) and Narengi, and has facilitated residential growth along with it. Highway NH-37, which encircles
1026-589: The "gateway to North East India". The ancient cities of Pragjyotishpura and Durjaya ( North Guwahati ) were the capitals of the ancient state of Kamarupa . Many ancient Hindu temples like the Kamakhya Temple , Ugratara Temple , Basistha Temple , Doul Govinda Temple , Umananda Temple , Navagraha Temple , Sukreswar Temple , Rudreswar Temple , Manikarneswar Devalaya , Aswaklanta Temple, Dirgheshwari Temple , Lankeshwar Temple , Bhubaneswari Temple, Shree Ganesh Mandir, Shree Panchayatana Temple, Noonmati, and
1083-565: The Assamese word "Guwa" (Assamese: গুৱা ) derived from the Sanskrit word Guvaka, meaning areca nut and its plant and "Hati" (Assamese: হাটী ) meaning rows, the rows of areca nut trees. The 10th-12th century Kalika Purana mention that Kamrup was inhabited by strong, cruel Kirata people. As per the legends constructed in the Yogini Tantra , the tank Dighalipukhuri located in the heart of
1140-471: The Brahmaputra, the city did not experience floods. However, human interference has disrupted the natural topography, leading to the current situation where "just half an hour of rain" can cause flooding in the city. Encroachment and concretization, which reduce open areas for natural water absorption, are the primary causes of floods according to Bhagawati. Guwahati was ranked the second most polluted city in
1197-544: The Court of the District and Sessions Judge, Kamrup established in 1920. It is a lower court of the district judiciary having territorial jurisdiction over the greater Guwahati area only. In recent years, Guwahati has experienced rapid population growth due to migration for education and employment opportunities. This population increase has led to undesirable expansion of the city and has resulted in various collateral problems, such as
SECTION 20
#17330856341331254-630: The Gauhati High Court, taking office on 5 April 1948. The Saraighat Bridge , notable for its role in connecting Northeast India with the rest of the country, was constructed between 1959 and 1962 by the Hindustan Construction Company at a cost of approximately ₹ 106 million at the time. It was completed in September 1962, and the first engine crossed it on 23 September 1962. In 1972, due to separation of Meghalaya from Assam ,
1311-559: The Sino-India border. It is connected with NH 13 by a new 12.4 km road and has reduced the distance between Dirang and Tawang by 10 km. It was inaugurated by PM Modi on 9 March 2024.Executed by the Border Road Organisation (BRO), the project features two tunnels and a link road. Tunnel 1 is a 980-metre-long single-tube tunnel, while Tunnel 2 is a 1,555-metre-long twin-tube tunnel, with one bi-lane tube for traffic and
1368-686: The banks of the Brahmaputra at the western part of the city, is an ancient urban area that acted as the chief military base for the Ahoms against external invasions. Due to extensive fortification ('Gorh') surrounding Pandu, it acts as a natural river harbor and is formally called Gar-Pandu. Pandu port falls under Dhubri-Sadiya National Waterway-2 and is an important terminal and transit point for goods and cargo as well as passenger and tourist vessels. Construction of both low-level and high-level jetty of fixed terminal, capable of handling container vessels, has been completed and has further enhanced revenue generation for
1425-537: The buyers find it difficult to buy these items. Vegetables are transported into Assam from West Bengal , Bihar , Uttar Pradesh , Delhi , Maharashtra and Meghalaya and the truckers en route have to pay considerable amount of money as tax at various check posts. It is one of the causes of rise in prices of vegetables in the markets of Guwahati. The prices of locally available vegetables and fruits undergo large markup because of transportation expenses grounds, besides intra-State check posts taxes. In addition to these,
1482-570: The capital of Assam was moved to Dispur , a neighbourhood in Guwahati from the erstwhile capital of Shillong. The Brahmaputra river flows to the north of the metropolis. The city is bordered on the south by the foothills of the Shillong plateau and to the east by the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary. The Bharalu River , a tributary of the Brahmaputra, flows right through the heart of the city. To
1539-642: The capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the seat of the Government of Assam . Its airport is the 12th busiest in India , the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport . A major riverine port city along with hills, and one of the fastest growing cities in India , Guwahati is situated on the south bank of the Brahmaputra . The city is known as
1596-579: The capital of Assam, lies in Guwahati. The passing of the North Eastern (Reorganization Areas) Act in 1971 by the Indian Parliament accorded Meghalaya the status of a full-fledged state. After the creation of Meghalaya as a separate state, Shillong continued to be the joint capital of both Assam and Meghalaya. However, in 1972, the Government of Assam decided to shift the capital to Dispur. Accordingly,
1653-589: The child population (0-14) in Guwahati was 9.40% in 2011. The average literacy rate was stated to be 91.47% with male literacy at 94.24% and female literacy at 88.50%. The sex ratio was recorded to be 933 females per 1000 males and child sex ratio to be 940 girls per 1000 boys. Languages spoken in Guwahati (2011) According to the 2011 census, there were around 962,334 people living in Guwahati city, of which around 57.80% spoke Assamese , 20.40% Bengali , 12.29% Hindi , 1.92% Nepali , 1.69% Boro , 0.91% Manipuri and 0.90% Bhojpuri as their first language. Guwahati
1710-690: The city was dug by King Bhagadatta of Kamrup on the occasion of the wedding of his daughter Bhanumati with Duryodhan . Located within Guwahati is the Shakti temple of Goddess Kamakhya in Nilachal hill (an important seat of Tantric and Vajrayana Buddhism ), the ancient and unique astrological temple Navagraha in Chitrachal Hill, and archaeological remains in Basistha and other archaeological locations of mythological importance. The Ambari excavations trace
1767-564: The city's southern parts and links the southern corridor in Noumile to the western corridor in Jalukbari is currently supporting rapid development. Similarly, the VIP Road linking Zoo Road with the eastern corridor and recently completed Hengerabari-Narengi Road are also supporting massive residential development to the east. Guwahati is one among 98 Indian cities proposed to become Smart Cities under
Sela Tunnel - Misplaced Pages Continue
1824-476: The city. The manufacturing sector in Guwahati contributes a substantial share to the economy of the city. Petroleum manufacturing is an important economic activity in the city. The Guwahati Refinery is the most important manufacturing industry in the city. Located at Noonmati, the refinery was set up by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited as the first public sector refinery of India as well as
1881-592: The country's total tea production. So high is the production of tea in Assam that it is the biggest industry in the state. The headquarters of the Assam Branch Indian Tea Association (ABITA) is located at Guwahati. The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC), located adjacent to the capital complex at Dispur, is the world's largest CTC tea auction center and the second largest in terms of total tea auctioned. The inaugural sale took place on 25 September 1970 and
1938-500: The first lot of tea was auctioned at the price of ₹ 42.50 which, during those days, was a significant achievement. In the month of August 2019, a kilogram of Maijan Orthodox Golden tea sold for a record-setting price of ₹ 70,501 at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre . Bum La Pass The Bum La Pass is a border pass between China's Tsona County in Tibet and India's Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh . It
1995-878: The first sitting of the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly was held at Dispur on 16 March 1973. Dispur houses the Secretariat of Assam Government, the Assam Assembly House, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Regional Office, the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) House and the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC). Guwahati Municipal Corporation
2052-623: The growth of a southern city sub-center at Ganeshguri, along with other residential areas to the south developed during the past few decades. The corridor extending towards the west (around 30 km [19 mi] from the city center) contains a rail-road linking not only Guwahati but also other parts of the northeastern region east of Guwahati to western Assam and the rest of India. The corridor links residential and historically important areas such as Nilachal Hill (Kamakhya), Pandu, and Maligaon (headquarters of Northeast Frontier Railways) before it separates into two – one towards North Guwahati via
2109-560: The headquarters of the Borphukan , Ahom governor of Lower Assam till 1824.The Borphukan's residence was in the present Fancy Bazaar area and his council-hall, called Dopdar , was about 300 yards (270 m) to the west of the Bharalu stream.The Majindar Baruah, the personal secretary of the Borphukan, had his residence in the present-day deputy commissioner's residence. During Ahom period Guwahati
2166-522: The headquarters were removed to Shillong in the Khasi hills . The Gauhati High Court (formerly known as the High Court of Assam) was promulgated on 1 March 1948 by the then Governor General of India, Lord Mountbatten , in accordance with the Government of India Act 1935 . It became effective on 5 April 1948 and was initially established for the Province of Assam. R.F. Lodge was the inaugural Chief Justice of
2223-527: The like, are situated in the city, giving it the title of "The City of Temples". Guwahati lies between the banks of the Brahmaputra River and the foothills of the Shillong plateau, with LGB International Airport to the west and the town of Narengi to the east. The North Guwahati area, to the northern bank of the Brahmaputra, is being gradually incorporated into the city limits. The noted Madan Kamdev
2280-640: The main Sela–Chabrela ridge at 27°30′26″N 92°04′58″E / 27.5073°N 92.0827°E / 27.5073; 92.0827 . The two tunnels together bypass the Sela Pass and maintain an elevation of 3000 m. This strategic tunnel is being constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under Project Vartak . It will enhance Indian military 's capabilities in combating the threat of China's Western Theater Command opposite India's eastern sector of Line of Actual Control . It will cut
2337-513: The most important is the corridor formed along the Guwahati-Shillong (GS) Road towards the south (almost 15 km [9.3 mi] from the city-center). The GS Road corridor is an important commercial area with retail, wholesale and commercial offices developed along the main road; it is also a densely built residential area in the inner parts. The capital complex of Assam at Dispur is situated in this corridor. This corridor has facilitated
Sela Tunnel - Misplaced Pages Continue
2394-438: The near future is expected to worsen to the point where residents of certain areas may be forced to relocate. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the alteration of drainage channels and wetlands due to rapid urbanization has exacerbated the problem of flooding. Professor Abani Kumar Bhagawati of Gauhati University stated that since before there were sufficient wetlands to absorb rainwater and channels to carry excess water to
2451-494: The other for emergency services. The link road between these tunnels spans 1,200 metres. The tunnel provides access to Tawang by an all-weather road in the western region of Arunachal Pradesh throughout the year. During the 1962 Sino-Indian War , Maha Vir Chakra awardee Jaswant Singh Rawat held elements of the Chinese Army off at this mountain pass with the help of two local Monpa girls named Sela and Noora . Later, Sela
2508-598: The period of the city of Guwahati between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE, in the Shunga - Kushana period of Indian history . Descriptions by Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) reveal that during the reign of the Varman king Bhaskaravarman (7th century CE), the city stretched for about 30 li (15 km or 9.3 mi). Archaeological evidence by excavations in Ambari, and excavated brick walls and houses discovered during construction of
2565-452: The present Cotton College 's auditorium suggest the city was of economic and strategic importance until the 9th–11th century CE. Koch King Parikshit had his capital at Pragjyotishpur near the Aswatirtha during the conflicts with Mughals . It came under Mughal occupation between (1633–59, 1662–69, 1679–81), their vestige was completely removed after the Battle of Itakhuli . Guwahati was
2622-412: The refinery include Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Kerosene Oil, Turbine Fuel (aviation use), Motor Spirit, High-Speed Motor Diesel, Light Diesel Oil, and Raw Petroleum Coke. There is also an LPG bottling plant in the city. Tea manufacturing and processing is another important activity of Guwahati. Assam is one of the highest tea-producing areas in the world, contributing 80% of India's export and 55% of
2679-467: The refinery of Indian Oil since 1962. It was built with an initial crude processing capacity of 0.75 million tonnes per year at the time of its commission which was gradually increased to 1.0 million tonnes per year. It produces various products and supplies them to the other northeast states and also beyond to Siliguri through the Guwahati-Siliguri pipeline. The various products produced by
2736-406: The rise in the number of slums. It is projected that the population of Guwahati will reach 1.5 million by 2035, up from an estimated 1.1 million in 2020. One of the economic problems that the citizens of Guwahati have to put up with is the hike in prices of many essentials, chiefly vegetables, poultry, and fish. The prices of these commodities keep escalating at an inordinate rate because of which
2793-410: The south, east, and west. In the past few decades, southern Guwahati areas such as Ganeshguri, Beltola, Hatigaon, Six Mile, and Panjabari began forming a southern sub-center surrounding the capital complex at Dispur. The core area consists of the old city with Pan Bazaar , Paltan Bazaar , Fancy Bazaar and Uzan Bazaar , with each area facilitating unique urban activities. Among the city corridors,
2850-464: The south-west of the city lies Dipor Bil , a permanent freshwater lake with no prominent inflows apart from monsoon run-off from the hills to the south of the lake. The lake drains into the Brahmaputra, 5 km (3.1 mi) to the north, and acts as a natural stormwater reservoir for the city. There are also multiple hills within the city limits. Guwahati's 'urban form' radiates from a central core with growth corridors radiating and extending towards
2907-494: The state capitals of Northeast India . Completion of the project will boost the vital upliftment of the whole region. The city still needs attention to improve its infrastructure. Funding from the Asian Development Bank is providing assistance to improve Guwahati's transportation infrastructure along with a substantial amount from Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for its development. Dispur,
SECTION 50
#17330856341332964-626: The travel time from the Indian Army 's IV Corps headquarter at Tezpur to Tawang by at least 10 km or 1 hour and also help make the NH13 an all-weather road to access Tawang which usually gets disconnected during winter. The tunnels would ensure that the 171 km road between Bomdila and Tawang remains accessible in all weather conditions. The BRO is also improving the road from Sangestar Tso (north of Tawang) to Bum La Pass on India-China Line of Actual Control (disputed parts of McMahon Line ). NH13 has been converted to 2-lane road. Sela pass
3021-626: The wholesale dealers, as well as the retail sellers, augment the prices of the commodities according to their own desires. The price of poultry, mainly chicken, that reaches the city markets from places like Chaygaon and Barpeta have been soaring rapidly because of similar factors. There has been steep rise in the price of fish as well, the prominent varieties of which being Rohu ("Rou"), Catla ("Bahu"), Walking catfish ("Magur") and Monopterus ("Kuchia") among many others. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated inflation, causing food prices to rise. According to experts, urban flooding in Guwahati in
3078-438: The winter snowfalls on the Sela Pass in addition to cutting down the travel time to Tawang by an hour. The project in fact involves two tunnels. The first tunnel, 475 metres (1,558 ft) long, cuts through a longitudinal ridge entering it at 27°29′58″N 92°05′38″E / 27.4994°N 92.0938°E / 27.4994; 92.0938 . After emerging, a second tunnel, 1,790 metres (5,870 ft) long, runs through
3135-556: The world in a 2023 report published by IQAir, behind Begusarai and ahead of Delhi , reflecting India's status as the country with the third highest level of pollution after Bangladesh and Pakistan. Guwahati is one of the fastest-growing cities in India. Guwahati has a population of 962,334 as per the 2011 census. Population of Guwahati in 2021 is estimated to be 11 lakhs (approx). It is estimated that Guwahati metro will house 2.8 million residents by 2025. Below Graph shows Population of Guwahati (1950-2040): - The percentage of
3192-561: Was fortified strongly and connected with the country with a number of roads. The Dighalipukhuri was used as a boatyard during this period. During the time of splendor, since the reign of Gadadhar Singha ; the Ahom rulers paid their attention to building several temples in various religious sites at Guwahati. On the cession of Assam to the British in 1826 it was made the seat of the British administration of Assam, and so continued till 1874, when
3249-469: Was killed and Noora captured. Rushing from position to position, Rawat held off the enemy for 72 hours until the Chinese captured a local supplier, who told them that they were facing only one fighter. The Chinese then stormed Rawat's position and Rawat was killed. The Indian army built Jaswant Garh war memorial for Jaswant Singh and the pass, tunnel & lake were named after Sela for her sacrifice. The tunnel
#132867