No other tunnel of this length at this height: Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur on Atal Tunnel

After the construction of the Atal Tunnel, which connects Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti valley, Himachal Pradesh has got recognition in the world, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Saturday.

Thakur made the comments after the 9.02km tunnel was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rohtang.

“After the construction of this tunnel at the height of 10,040 feet, Himachal Pradesh, a small state, has got recognition not only in the nation but in the whole world. There is no other tunnel of this length at this height,” Thakur said after the Atal Tunnel was inaugurated.

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Named after former prime minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Atal tunnel has been built at the altitude of 3,000 metres from the mean sea level. The tunnel reduces the road distance between Manali and Leh by 46km.

It has been built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas. It will remain open throughout the year as opposed to the valley being cut off for about six months every year amid heavy snowfall.

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