Modi was accompanied by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Defense Chief of Staff General Bipin Rawat. (Photo: ANI / Twitter)
The Modi government decided to name the Rohtang Tunnel the Atal Tunnel in December 2019 to honor the former prime minister who had passed away the previous year.
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- Last update: October 3, 2020 12:33 PM IST
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the strategically vital all-weather Atal tunnel on Saturday, which reduces the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km and travel time by four to five hours in Rohtang in Himachal Pradesh. The Atal Tunnel, built by the Border Roads Organization, is the longest highway tunnel in the world.
Speaking at the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi said that the completion of the Atal Tunnel not only fulfilled the dreams of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but also ended the years of waiting for the people of Himachal Pradesh.
“The Atal tunnel will give new strength to India’s border infrastructure. It is an example of world-class border connectivity. There have been demands to improve border infrastructure, but for a long time, such projects could not get out of the planning stage. or it got stuck midway, “said PM Modi.
Speaking about the delay in the project under the previous government, he said that after Vajpayee’s term ended, it seemed that the project was also forgotten.
“In 2002, Atal ji laid the foundation for Approach Road for this tunnel. After Atal ji’s tenure ended, it seemed that this project was also forgotten. The situation was such that by 2013-14, only 1,300 meters of work was done for the tunnel, “Modi said.
The government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee had decided to build the strategically important tunnel under the Rohtang pass on June 3, 2000, and the first stone for the access road to the southern portal of the tunnel was laid on May 26, 2002. The government de Modi decided to name the Rohtang Tunnel the Atal Tunnel in December 2019 in honor of the former prime minister who had passed away the year before.
Prime Minister Modi said it was after 2014 that the pace of work on the Atal Tunnel accelerated. “When you have to move on the path of development, when the people of the country have a strong desire for development, then you have to accelerate the pace. The work of the Atal Tunnel also accelerated after 2014.”
The prime minister added that as a result, where previously 300 meters of the tunnel were built each year, its speed increased to 1,400 meters per year. “In just 6 years, we have completed 26 years of work,” said PM Modi.
Modi was accompanied by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Defense Chief of Staff General Bipin Rawat.
The 9.02 km tunnel connects Manali with the Lahaul-Spiti valley year-round, the Prime Minister’s Office said, noting that the valley was previously cut off for about six months each year due to heavy snowfall.
(with PTI inputs)
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