Atal Tunnel: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the strategic Atal tunnel named after the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on September 29. Construction of one of the longest tunnels connecting Manali and Leh has finally completed after 10 years, four more than the original estimated time of six years.
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of 95th birth anniversary of the BJP stalwart and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, announced that the strategic tunnel under Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, will be known as the Atal Tunnel.
Facts To Know About Atal Tunnel
- The much-awaited passage is being constructed in the Pir Panjal ranges of Himachal Pradesh since Manali-Sarchu-Leh road remains closed for six months in a year due to Rohtang Pass being completely snow bound between Nov and May.
- It will connect Manali to Lahaul Valley throughout the year and will reduce the road length of Manali-Rohtang Pass-Sarchu-Leh road by 46 Kms.
- Besides connecting the people of Lahual to rest of India through the year the tunnel will aid the forward connectivity offering the security forces a major strategic advantage.
- The tunnel is 8.8 KM-long and 10.5 metres wide, including 1-metre wide footpaths on both sides. It is built above 10,000 feet.
- The speed limits in the tunnel will be 80 KM per hour while it has the capacity to ply 3,000 vehicles per day under any weather condition.
- The cost of the Atal Tunnel project escalated from Rs 1,700 crore in 2010 to Rs 3,200 crore by September 2020.
- As reported by news agency ANI, Chief Engineer KP Purushothaman said that there are CCTV cameras at every 60 metres and emergency exit tunnels at every 500 metres inside the tunnel.