A pride moment for India with Atal Tunnel success to make it to World Book of Records. The 9.02 KM long Atal Tunnel has been inaugurated by PM on 3rd October 2020 in Himachal Pradesh. It is a Highway Tunnel built under the Rohatang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway. Named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it has achieved the new success by getting official certification in the World Book of Records, London for Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 feet.
The engineering Marvel is a result of dedication of BRO workers, engineers and vision of former PM that has added a new dimension to Indian Border Infrastructure. It has been proved to be a game changer for Lahual & Spiti District with offering state of the art infrastructure and all-weather connectivity to the remote regions and hence with the rest of India. The tunnel reduces the travel time and overall distance between Manali and Keylong on the way of Leh. Traveller can reach the South Portal (24.4 Km) of the Tunnel from Manali in about 45 minutes and reaches Keylong which is 37 Km away in about 60 minutes.
With all these benefits, the number of tourists visiting the region witnessed a sudden rise. Considering the demand, Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to run eco-friendly electric buses between Kullu-Manali and Keylong. With reducing the travel time by 4 to 5 hours and road distance by 46 Km from Manali to Leh, the Tunnel has been designed with a capacity of 3000 cars traffic density with a maximum speed of 80 Km/h. It is the World’s first tunnel with 4G internet connectivity. CCTV cameras are installed at every 250 metre in the tunnel and way is under surveillance by control room. There are emergency exit doors installed at every 150 m, fire hydrants at every 60 m, in the tunnel.
The Pride of India is all set to welcome you, then what are you waiting for? Visit the Atal Tunnel and enjoy the lovely views of Spiti and Manali.