Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the strategically important Atal Tunnel on Saturday, connecting Manali with Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.
During the inauguration, the Prime Minister was accompanied by Chief Minister of State Jai Ram Thakur, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Defense Chief of Staff Bipin Rawat and MoS Anurag Singh Thakur and DG’s Lieutenant General Harpal Singh BRO. Prime Minister Modi also addressed the nation after inaugurating the 9.02km Atal Tunnel and praised the Border Roads Organization for carrying out the construction work in adverse weather conditions.
It is the longest tunnel built at an altitude of 3,000 meters.
Here are the key quotes from Prime Minister Modi’s inauguration speech:
“It is a historic day; Not only did Atal ji’s dream come true, but the decades-long wait for the people of Himachal is over. It will be a lifesaver for Leh-Ladakh. “
“The Atal tunnel will give new strength to the border infrastructure of India. 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 stalled midway. “
“Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundations for the access road to this tunnel, but after his rule, this work was almost forgotten. It accelerated after 2014. In just six years, we completed the 26-year job. ”
“Connectivity has a direct connection with development. Connectivity in border areas is directly related to security issues ”.
“Experts say that if the tunnel was built at the rate it was being built at that time, it would probably be finished in 2040. We completed the work in just six years.”
“I want the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to invite some universities to carry out case studies on this tunnel. The world should know how our soldiers can do such a wonderful job with limited resources. “
“I request the Ministry of Education that students from universities related to technical and engineering studies have the opportunity to do a case study of the Atal Tunnel. Students must learn how this tunnel was built. “
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