Prime Minister Modi to inaugurate the Atal-Rohtang Tunnel in September: All you need to know about the world's longest high altitude road tunnel 

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the world's longest high altitude road tunnel under the Pir Panjal range, connecting Manali to Lahaul and Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh in the month of September. The tunnel is a strategic all-weather tunnel at an altitude above 10,000 feet and is 9 km long. The tunnel is named after the former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Importance of Atal Rohtang Tunnel

The tunnel was scheduled to be completed by May 2020, but due to COVID-19 pandemic, the work was delayed and the tunnel is expected to be inaugurated by the PM in the late September.

The strategic tunnel is near to its completion and will provide all-weather connectivity to remote border areas of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. The tunnel will be a boon to the residents of Lahaul and Spiti Valley region as these regions remain cut off for 6 months during winters from the rest of the country.

The tunnel will also be a strategic one from the military point of view. After its completion, the tunnel will provide better connectivity to the Indian Forces reaching the Ladakh region and will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46km.

Key takeaways

1. The original length of the tunnel was to be 8.8 km long but after GPS readings, the tunnel came out to be 9 km long.
2. The tunnel will be completed with the cost of Rs. 3,500 crore.
3. The tunnel will ensure all-weather connectivity.
4. It will also have an emergency escape tunnel under the main tunnel.
5. The tunnel provides as alternate to the Rohtang Pass.
6. The time between Manali Valley to Lahaul and Spiti Valley is reduced to a little over 10 minutes from earlier 5 hours.
7. The tunnel will also have a telephone at every 150 metres, fire hydrants at every 60 metres, an emergency exit at every 500 metres, turning cavern every 2.2 km, air quality monitoring each km, broadcasting system and automatic incident detection system with CCTV cameras at every 250 metres.
8. The vehicles will travel at a maximum speed of 80 km per hour.
9. Once the pandemic is over, 1,500 trucks and 3,000 cars are expected to use the tunnel.
10. Snow galleries will also be built to reach the tunnel from the Manali side. 

Additional Tunnels

The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur stated that additional tunnels would have to be built on the 475 km Manali-Leh route to prevent any delay in the movement due to heavy snowfall. These additional tunnels are as follows:

1. A 13.2 km long tunnel to negotiate the 16,040-feet high Baralacha Pass.
2. A 14.78 km-long tunnel at the Lachung La Pass at 16,800 feet.
3. A 7.32-km long tunnel at Tanglang La Pass at 17,480 feet.

Problems faced in the completion of the project

There were several problems faced by the construction teams in the completion of the project. These are as follows:

1. The fast-flowing water on the top of the tunnel route from Seri Nullah along with the rocky structure.
2. The volume of water flowing proved to be a hindrance in the project and the construction was halted for months.

Background

1. In May 1990, a study of the Project Rohtang Tunnel was carried out and in June 2004 a geological report on the same was submitted.
2. In 2005, the project received a green signal from the Cabinet Committee on Security.
3. In December 2006, a design and specification report was submitted.
4. In 2007, tenders were passed and Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation of the project in July 2010.
5. The project was scheduled to be completed by February 2015 but due to some unprecedented problems, the project got delayed and is expected to be completed by September this year.

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