Named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Atal Rohtang tunnel is now ready on the Manali-Leh highway. After a long struggle of almost ten years, the longest high-altitude road tunnel is now built. It is carved out under the Rohtang Pass.?
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The tunnel is one of the two routes into Ladakh; it will also become the route used to resupplying the military garrison there. The other route into Ladakh is through the Zojila Pass which connects the Kashmir Valley with Drass.
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The tunnel is 10 metres wide, 8.8 km-long and shaped like a horse shoe. It is located at 10,000 feet. Usually, it takes around five hours to cross the Rohtang Pass but thanks to this tunnel, the journey will be shortened to just ten minutes. The Manali-Led road is now shortened by 46 km.
Four more tunnels have been proposed on the way to Leh since that part of the country faces heavy snow cover for about six months in a year and is difficult to reach. Thanks to the Atal Rohtang tunnel, movement of goods to and from Lahaul will be easy.?
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The tunnel connects Manali in Kullu district to Lahaul-Spiti district.?