Rohtang: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the strategically important all-weather Atal Tunnel, which reduces the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km and travel time by four to five hours, at Rohtang in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.
The 9.02-km-long Atal Tunnel, built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), is the longest highway tunnel in the world and connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley in the Himachal Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion, the PM said the tunnel is not only a realisation of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream but has also ended the decades-long wait of the people of Himachal Pradesh.
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.
The strategically important tunnel will also strengthen the country’s border infrastructure, Modi emphasised.
The PM was accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, Himachal 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.
