On the Birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi named the Strategic Tunnel under Rohtang Pass after Vajpayee, in an event held in New Delhi on December 25, 2019.
About Atal Tunnel
- The decision to construct a strategic tunnel below the Rohtang Pass was taken by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
- The 8.8-kilometre long tunnel is the world’s longest tunnel above an altitude of 3,000 metres.
- It will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 kilometres and save crores of rupees in transport costs.
- It is a 10.5-metre wide single tube bi-lane tunnel with a fire proof emergency tunnel built into the main tunnel itself.
- The breakthrough from both ends was achieved on October 15, 2017.
- The tunnel will provide all weather connectivity to remote border areas of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh which otherwise remained cut off from the rest of the country for about six months during winters.
