Significance of Atal Tunnel
Atal Tunnel is of great strategic importance to our nation, here’s a list of some essential points for the same:
- The tunnel makes traveling between Manali and Leh shorter by 46 kilometers, saving about 4 to 5 hours. Now, the journey from Manali to Lahaul and Spiti Valley takes just over 15 minutes.
- It’s equipped with advanced systems like semi-transverse ventilation, SCADA-controlled firefighting, and monitoring systems for lighting.
- All-year Connectivity: Atal Tunnel is the first step to connect Ladakh throughout the year. It can link Ladakh to Manali and Chandigarh year-round, avoiding the snow-covered Rohtang Pass in winter.
- Strategic Significance: The tunnel is a strategic advantage for the armed forces, offering year-long connectivity to border areas. It saves time for troop and supply movements to forward posts.
- Availability of Essentials: Daily needs like petrol and vegetables are likely to be accessible throughout the year.
- Improved Access: PM Narendra Modi notes that farmers, horticulturalists, and youth now have easier access to Delhi and other markets. It’s a boon for farmers, ensuring their crops, like peas and potatoes, reach markets without spoiling.
- Boost to Tourism: The tunnel boosts tourism, improving livelihoods for residents in Lahaul Valley and Ladakh.
- Safety Features: Various safety measures are incorporated, such as emergency telephone connections every 150 meters, fire hydrants every 60 meters, CCTV cameras every 250 meters, and emergency exits every 500 meters.
- Improved Connectivity: BSNL has set up three 4G base transceiver stations in the Atal Tunnel, providing full 4G connectivity.
Atal Tunnel: Significance, Timeline and Facts
Atal Tunnel is inaugurated in Himachal Pradesh. Atal Tunnel stands as the world’s longest highway tunnel. It presents a significant reduction of 46 kilometers in the distance between Manali and Leh. It is named in honor of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In this article, we will take a look at the overview of Atal Tunnel, a recent record that it created, its history, and much more.