Sat 03 October 2020:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the strategically vital all-weather Atal Tunnel, which decreases the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km and the travel time by four to five hours at Himachal Pradesh’s Rohtang.
The Atal Tunnel, built by the Border Roads Organisation, is the longest highway tunnel in the world.
Speaking at the inauguration, PM Modi said the completion of Atal Tunnel not only fulfilled the dreams of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee but put an end to the years of wait of the people of Himachal Pradesh.
“The Atal tunnel will give new strength to India’s border infrastructure. It is an example of world-class border connectivity,” Modi said.
He said that the tunnel will also be a “lifeline” to the nearby Ladakh region.
India and China are facing heightened faceoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a de facto border near the Himalayan region of Ladakh in disputed Jammu and Kashmir.
PM @narendramodi reached Sasse in Himachal Pradesh. He is on the way to inaugurate #AtalTunnel, a futuristic infrastructure project that will benefit several citizens. pic.twitter.com/RjsPWFSszz
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 3, 2020
An official hand-out said earlier that the Atal Tunnel is the “longest highway tunnel in the World.”
“The 9.02 Km [5.6-mile] long tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year [….] the tunnel reduces the road distance by 46 Kms [28.5 miles] between Manali and Leh and the time by about 4 to 5 hours,” the release said.
It added that it has been designed to handle traffic density of 3,000 cars and 1,500 trucks per day.
Modi was accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat.
The 9.02-km tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year, the Prime Minister’s Office has said, noting that the valley was earlier cut off for about six months every year due to heavy snowfall.
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