10/09/2020
๐๐จ๐ก๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐๐ฅ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐'๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐,๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ, ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก.
The ๐.๐-๐ค๐ฆ strategic Rohtang Tunnel, being built at ๐,๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ above sea level between Himachal Pradeshโs ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ก in Ladakh, will be opened by September-end. The Rs 3,200-crore tunnel will shorten the 474-km distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km.
๐นThe engineering marvel Atal Tunnel is expected to inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in September 2020.
๐นThe tunnel is also called Atal Tunnel after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had announced the project on June 3, 2000.
๐นWork begun on 28 June 2010
๐นThe project has faced geological challenges which have pushed the deadline since digging started in 2011.
๐นThe work was entrusted to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
๐น More than 700 men are working in shifts to complete the work of the tunnel. When the coronavirus pandemic-enforced lockdown was imposed, proactive measures were taken to recommence work in active coordination with the state government.
๐นThe project was to be completed in February 2015, but water ingress from Seri Nullah, ban on rock mining and delay in allotment of land needed for quarrying, and loose rock strata in the middle caused the slow progress.
๐นThe speed limits in the tunnel will be 80km per hour. The tunnel will accelerate troop mobility to strategic frontiers in Jammu and Kashmir, besides providing a road link to Lahaul and Spiti in the winters.
๐น The tunnel has the capacity to ply 3,000 vehicles per day under any weather condition.
๐น The cost of the project has escalated from Rs 1,700 crore in 2010 to almost its double to Rs 3,200 crore by September 2020.
๐น Himachal Pradesh will run Vistadome buses inside Atal tunnel when it is inaugurated next month. Vistadome buses will have a glass rooftop for a panoramic view through the hilly region.
