• Prime Minister has inaugurated the Atal Tunnel at Rohtang at an altitude of above 3,000 metres in Himachal Pradesh.

  • After the inauguration, he said the tunnel would provide new strength to the country’s border infrastructure. 

 

In Focus: Atal Tunnel

  • Atal tunnel is at an altitude of above 3000 metres in Himachal Pradesh.

  • The tunnel is under the Pir Panjal range and is the world’s longest highway tunnel.

  • It connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley.

  • The 02 km-long-tunnel has been built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).



  • Faced Masve Delays
    • Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation stone for the approach road to the tunnel in 2002 but the project was delayed after his tenure and only 1.3 km of the road was built until 2013-14.

    • Though the foundation stone of the tunnel was laid by then UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in July 2010, it was wracked by delays, missing several deadlines.



 

Advantages of Tunnel

  • Improved Connectivity

  • The tunnel reduces the distance by 46 km between Manali and Leh and the travel time by about 4 to 5 hours.

  • It provides all-weather connectivity to the landlocked valley of Lahaul-Spiti.

  • Before the tunnel construction, the Lahaul Valley used to remain closed for vehicular movement and thus is cut-off from rest of the country due to bad weather conditions of snowfall during between November and April.

  • Boost to Local Economy

  • It is expected to boost tourism and winter sports in the region.

  • This will create better employment opportunities for the region.

  • Strategic Significance for Military

  • The tunnel’s opening s also significant amid the ongoing India-China standoff along the Line of Actual Control.

  • It is going to help sustain troops mobilised in eastern Ladakh by providing an almost all-weather connectivity between Manali and Leh during the long, harsh winter months.

  • The tunnel is also significant from the military logistics viewpoint, will provide better connectivity to the armed forces in reaching Ladakh.

 

Gallants of Galwan

  • The Indian Army has built a memorial in Eastern Ladakh for the 20 personnel killed in the violent clash at Galwan Valley on June 15.

  • The memorial which has the names of all 20 Gallants of Galwan inscribed on it is located at Post 120 in Eastern Ladakh.

 

 Defence & Security