Atal Tunnel
- The Atal Tunnel is the longest in the world at the altitude of 10,000 feet.
- The 9.02-km tunnel is the longest highway tunnel in the world above the height of 3,000 metres.
- It cuts through a mountain west of the Rohtang pass and will shorten the distance between Solang Valley and Sissu by around 46 km and will take around 15 minutes to cover. Earlier, it would take nearly 4 hours to travel between the two points.
- It has been constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) along with private agencies for ten years and it involved a budget of Rs 3200 crore.
Significance:
- Border Infrastructure: Atal tunnel will give new strength to India’s border infrastructure. The tunnel provides a strategic advantage to the country’s armed forces by providing year-long connectivity to border areas. It will save an entire day for troops and supplies as they move towards forwarding posts. The Tunnel is stated to have strategic importance for the nation and has become more relevant because of the ongoing border dispute with China.
- All year Connectivity: The Atal tunnel is the first step towards all-year connectivity to Ladakh. The tunnel has the potential to link Ladakh to Manali and Chandigarh throughout the year, as it would bypass Rohtang Pass, which is snowed in through the winter months.
- Basic Facilities: The residents of Ladakh who had to face immense hardship to avail even basic facilities like healthcare and food supplies will now be able to reach Manali and connect with the rest of the country using this new tunnel. Essential commodities like petrol and vegetable supplies would also likely be available throughout the year.
- Boon for Farmers: The drop in travel time will help many, especially farmers whose precious crops like peas and potatoes will no longer rot in trucks before reaching the market.
- Boost to Tourism: Livelihoods in the tourism sector of the residents in Lahaul Valley and Ladakh would get a boost.
- Location: Atal tunnel at Rohtang connecting Manali with Lahaul is set to change the contours of overall development in the remote Lahaul Spiti district in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh. Lahaul and Spiti are two different valleys in Lahaul Spiti district, which are separated by over 14000 feet high Kunzum Pass. Spiti is connected to the rest of the state through the tribal district of Kinnaur.
