On April 28, 2022, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Engineering Marvel Atal Tunnel in Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh, got the Indian Building Congress (IBC) ‘Best Infrastructure Project’ award in New Delhi.
More than thirty cutting-edge infrastructures were nominated for the prestigious awards, and the strategic tunnel was named the Best Projects for Excellence in the Built Environment in 2021 by the IBC Jury. Lt General Rajeev Chaudhry, Director General BRO, got the prize during the IBC’s 25th annual Convention for BRO’s outstanding performance in establishing this engineering marvel connecting Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti Valley.
Atal Tunnel’s historic achievements
During a historic event on February 9, 2022, the 9.02 km long, strategically crucial Atal Tunnel, which runs beneath the ‘Rohtang Pass’ on the Manali – Leh Highway, was officially certified by the World Book of Records as the ‘World’s Longest Highway Tunnel over 10,000 Feet.’
The tunnel shortens the road route between Manali and Leh by 46 kilometers and the travel duration by 4 to 5 hours. The Atal Tunnel was built to handle 3000 cars and 1500 trucks each day at an estimated speed of 80 kilometers per hour.
The Atal Tunnel in Rohtang has been a benefit to the tourism sector in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti area. The number of tourists arriving increased by 622.6 percent from 1,32,983 in 2019 to 9,60,952 in 2021.
Making of the Marvel
This tunnel, situated in the Pir Panjal Ranges of the Himalayas, has been a test of technical and engineering skills as well as human stamina and machine performance. It was built in tough and difficult terrain, where winter temperatures plummeted to a bone-chilling -25 degrees and temperatures within the tunnel frequently climbed to about 45 degrees. Fragile geology and problems such as the Seri Nala seepage, which flooded the Atal Tunnel, as well as high overburden and excessive snowfall, were among the major construction challenges successfully overcome by the BRO Karmyogis.
On October 3, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the tunnel, which was built utilising the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). It has a semi-transverse ventilation system with huge fans that circulate air separately across the tunnel. For emergency escape, an emergency tunnel has been inserted into the tunnel cross-section beneath the main highway. Fires inside the tunnel will be contained within a 200-meter radius, and fire hydrants are located at strategic points throughout the tunnel.
The tunnel, in addition to providing the Armed Forces with a strategic advantage by giving an alternate route to the vital Ladakh Sector, has been a benefit for the population of Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti District. The region has seen an extraordinary surge in visitor arrivals, and the valley and state have seen growth in the socio-economic domains in less than a year. The Atal Tunnel is destined to play a pivotal role in the region’s future growth.
