In a landmark ceremony, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) constructed engineering marvel ‘Atal Tunnel’ has officially been certified as the ‘World’s Longest Highway Tunnel’ above 10,000 Feet by World Book of Records.
The ceremony that was held in New Delhi witnessed Director General of Border Roads Organisation (DGBR) Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry receiving the award for the stupendous achievement of the BRO in constructing the tunnel which connects Manali to the Lahaul – Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
It is noteworthy that, World Book of Records UK, is an organisation that catalogues and verifies extraordinary records across the globe with authentic certification.
Connecting Places-Connecting People
Nestled in Pir Panjal Ranges of the Himalayas, the visionary project of ‘Atal Tunnel’ is 9.02 km long & strategically significant. It runs under the ‘Rohtang Pass’(13,500 feet above sea level), which was constructed on the Manali – Leh Highway under the extremely challenging conditions of freezing cold in mountainous difficult terrain.
Notably, before the construction of the tunnel, the arterial road connecting Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh from the rest of India used to remain closed during the winter season for around 6 months. With the construction of the Atal tunnel, the distance on Manali – Sarchu road has been reduced by 46 km and travel time by 4-5 hours, providing all-weather connectivity on the Manali – Leh axis.
The construction of the state-of-art engineering marvel was a mammoth test of technical & engineering skills along with human endurance and machine efficacy. The tunnel has been constructed in extremely harsh and challenging terrain, wherein the temperature in winters drops to bone-chilling -25 degrees.
With fragile geology and hindrances like seepage of Seri Nala, causing the flood-like situation in the Atal Tunnel, accompanied with high overburden & excessive snowfall were some of the facets of construction challenges successfully surmounted by the BRO’s ‘Karmyogis’. The nation’s pride Atal Tunnel was dedicated to India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 03, 2020.
With the motto of ‘Connecting Places-Connecting People’, BRO has provided many engineering marvels to the nation besides offering the Indian Armed Forces – a strategic advantage by providing an alternate link to the critical Ladakh Sector.
When BRO’s world’s highest motorable road received ‘Guinness World Record’
On November 16, 2021, the Director-General Border Roads (DGBR), Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry received the Guinness World Records certificate for the achievement of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for constructing and blacktopping the world’s highest motorable road at 19,024 feet at Umlingla Pass in Ladakh.
BRO received the Guinness World Records certificate for the 52-kilometre long Chisumle to Demchok tarmac road. It passes through the 19,024 feet high Umlingla Pass and betters the previous record of a road in Bolivia, which connects volcano Uturuncu at 18,953 feet.
The Umlingla Pass road is another landmark in resurgent India’s achievement. It has been constructed at an altitude higher than the North and South Base Camps of Mount Everest which are at an altitude of 16,900 feet and 17,598 feet respectively.
BRO’s strategically important bridges & roads
With the view to improve border road connectivity in India, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh later in the year 2021 dedicated 24 bridges and three roads, built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in four states and two Union Territories across the country. Besides that, Defence Minister also e-inaugurated Chisumle-Demchok road at Umling La Pass at over 19,000 feet in Ladakh which also holds the Guinness World Record of world’s highest motorable road.
Speaking at the event, Defence Minister Rajanth Singh termed the inauguration as a reflection of the BRO’s commitment to the progress of border areas and exuded confidence that these construction works would go a long way in the development of a New India.
