Atal Tunnel certified as ‘World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 ft'
Atal Tunnel has been officially certified by the World Book of Records as ‘World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 Feet’ informed Ministry of Defence.
Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, Director General of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) received the award for the achievement of BRO for constructing the tunnel, it further added.
The 9.2-kilometre Atal Tunnel, which connects Manali and Leh is located in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti district and is the world's longest highway tunnel over 10,000 feet, was finished in ten years.
As per the reports, there are CCTV cameras every 60 metres and it is equipped with fire hydrants in case of a fire incident. In addition, the tunnel has emergency exit tunnels at every 500 metres. It also provides a telephone facility at every 150 metres of its stretch.
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The tunnel reduces the distance between Manali and Leh by 46km and around four hours can be saved.
From a defence standpoint, the Atal Tunnel, which cost around Rs 3,500 crore to build, holds great significance.
According to officials, the tunnel not only reduces the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 kilometres but also benefits the people of Lahaul-Spiti, particularly during the winter.
It provides all-weather connectivity to remote border areas of Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti and Leh-Ladakh which otherwise remain cut-off from the rest of the country for over six months due to heavy snowfall during winters.
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-PTC News
