New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the strategically important all-weather Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh and said the tunnel will give new strength to India’s border infrastructure and it is an example of world-class border connectivity.
PM Modi made the comments after he inaugurated the 9.02km long Atal Tunnel in Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh which will connect Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley in the state.
Describing the inauguration as a “historic day”, the Prime Minister said that the Atal Tunnel has not only made the BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream come true but has also ended the decades-long wait of the people of Himachal Pradesh.
PM Modi also said, “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 planning stage or got stuck midway.”
The Prime Minister further said that emphasis has been put on the development of border infrastructure. Its benefits are being extended to the common people as well as our armed forces personnel.
Moreover, the tunnel, which the Prime Minister said will also become the lifeline for Leh-Ladakh, will remain open throughout the year as opposed to the valley being cut off for about six months every year amid heavy snowfall.
Atal Tunnel, named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee, reduces the road distance by 46km between Manali and Leh and the travel time by about four to five hours. The tunnel has been built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas at an altitude of 3,000 metres from the mean sea level.
According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, the single tube double lane tunnel with a roadway of 8 metres and an overhead clearance of 5.525 metres is horse-shoe shaped and has been designed for a traffic density of 3,000 cars per day and 1,500 trucks per day.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane, as well as Himachal Chief Minister Jairam Thakur at the inauguration ceremony.
-RJV
