Rohtang (Himachal Pradesh): After the inauguration on Saturday, Atal tunnel in Rohtang in Himachal Pradesh has been opened to the public from Sunday.
On the first day after the inauguration, over 250 small and big vehicles crossed through the tunnel. On Sunday too, a lot of people gathered to see the tunnel.
A large number of tourists and locals who were seen taking selfies near the tunnel, the world's longest at an altitude of 10,040 feet, which has become a tourist destination a day after it was thrown open to the public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to reports, the tunnel has been opened for all vehicles, but diesel-petrol-filled tankers are not allowed to go through the tunnel. However, tankers can pass through the tunnel after taking permission from the BRO in an emergency.
The tunnel is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL).
KP Purushothaman, Chief Engineer at Border Roads Organisation, said "This is a very proud moment not only for BRO but for the whole country. The hard work put in by BRO in the last 10 years is reaching the final stage. This tunnel is an example of Atmanirbhar Bharat."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the new tunnel that not only promises a Manali to Leh to drive all through the year but also reduces the travel time between the two cities massively.
Notably, the 9.02-km long tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in the world, connects Manali and the Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year, which earlier was cut off for nearly six months every year due to heavy snowfall.
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