(TAN): Atal Tunnel in Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh, appears to have become the latest tourist attraction with hundreds of people — both locals and tourists — lining up to experience a drive through the “world’s longest highway tunnel”.
According to reports, within hours of the tunnel’s opening, cars from the neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Delhi lined up at Dhundi, outside the north portal of the Rohtang tunnel. On the other hand, Manali, which hardly had tourists till last week, suddenly saw a spike in the number of visitors after six months. The 9.02 km tunnel connects Lahaul-Spiti to Manali.
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The spectacular Lahaul-Spiti valley in north India’s Himachal Pradesh state is now accessible to the tourists year-round, even in the harshest of the winters, with the official opening of the Atal Tunnel. Inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 3 at Rohtang, this is the world’s longest road tunnel and at an altitude of 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) from the sea level, a government statement said.
Prior to the construction of the tunnel, Lahaul valley remained closed for nearly six months in a year between November and April. During these months, the Rohtang Pass remains completely under snow. The tunnel in the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas reduces the road distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km and travel time by four to five hours.
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The 9.02 km long tunnel, named after the former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is built by the Border Roads Organisation of India. The South Portal of the tunnel is located around 25 km from Manali at an altitude of 3,060 metres, while the North Portal is located near Teling village at Sissu in Lahaul valley at an altitude of 3,071 metres.
The Rohtang tunnel has been designed for a traffic density of 3,000 cars and 1,500 trucks a day travelling at a maximum speed of 80 kmph.
