PM Modi Inaugurates the World’s Longest High-altitude ‘Atal Tunnel’

Rohtang (Himachal Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the world’s longest high-altitude ‘Atal Tunnel’ in Himachal Pradesh that connects Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti valley and reduces travel time to Leh by up to five hours. The Prime Minister was accompanied by defence minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Singh Thakur and the Border Road Organisation’s Director General Lt Gen Harpal Singh at the inauguration ceremony. “The Atal tunnel will give new strength to India’s border infrastructure. It is an example of world-class border connectivity. There have been demands to improve border infrastructure but, for a long time, such projects either couldn’t get out of the planning stage or got stuck midway,” the Prime Minister said in his inauguration speech. The 9.02 km-long Atal Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in the world, promises to reduce the distance by 46 kilometres and the time by about four to five hours. This tunnel is built to “ultra-modern specifications” at an altitude of 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas. The tunnel has been designed for traffic density of 3,000 cars and 1,500 trucks per day, each of which can travel at a maximum speed of 80 kmph. On Saturday, Modi had tweeted, “This is an iconic infrastructure project built at a height of 10,000 feet.” He said the tunnel will help the region to develop. “The #AtalTunnel will solve a major problem of connectivity in the region. It has several salient features and will further ‘Ease of Living’ for local citizens. Will also join public programmes in Sissu in Lahaul Spiti and at Solang Valley,” he tweeted on Saturday. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had decided to construct the strategic tunnel below the Rohtang Pass on June 3, 2000. The foundation was laid on May 26, 2002. In 2019, the government decided to name the tunnel after former PM Vajpayee to honour the contribution made by him. The post PM Modi Inaugurates the World’s Longest High-altitude ‘Atal Tunnel’ appeared first on The News Room.