Modi to inaugurate Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Atal Tunnel in Rohtang at 10 AM on Saturday. It is the world's longest highway tunnel. The 9.02 Km long tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year. Earlier the valley would remain cut off for about six months every year during heavy snowfall.

New Delhi: All preparations have been completed for the inauguration of the Atal Tunnel, the world's longest highway tunnel, on October 3, said Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the tunnel in Rohtang on October 3, at 10 am.

"We have made all preparations and we are waiting for the Prime Minister. Defence Minister will arrive here today and Prime Minister will arrive tomorrow. It's a moment of joy for the people of Himachal Pradesh. This is a historical moment," Thakur told ETV Bharat.

The Chief Minister said that the tunnel holds great significance in the light of the situation with neighbouring countries and added that it is not only significant from a national security point of view but will also be very helpful for the commute of the people.

"Around 200 people will be present at the event. Prime Minister is sending out a message that how close Himachal is to his heart. He is appearing physically for a development project after seven months," Thakur said.

Atal Tunnel

"We wanted to have a huge inauguration event. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only a small event is being organised. The tunnel will also send a strong message from a border security point of view," he added.

The South Portal (SP) of the Atal Tunnel is located at a distance of 25 Km from Manali at an altitude of 3,060 meters, while the North Portal (NP) of the tunnel is located near village Teling, Sissu, in Lahaul Valley at an altitude of 3,071 meters.

It is horseshoe-shaped, single tube double lane tunnel with a roadway of 8 meters. It has an overhead clearance of 5.525 meters. It is 10.5-metre wide and has a 3.6 x 2.25 meters fireproof emergency egress tunnel built into the main tunnel itself.

Atal Tunnel has been designed for the traffic density of 3,000 cars per day and 1,500 trucks per day with a max speed of 80 km per hour.

It has a state-of-the-art electromechanical system including semi transverse ventilation system, SCADA controlled firefighting, illumination and monitoring system.