PM Modi inaugurates Atal Tunnel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the strategically important all-weather Atal Tunnel in Rohtang.

Atal Tunnel, built by the Border Roads Organisation, is the longest highway tunnel in the world and reduces the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km. It also reduces the travel time by four to five hours.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation of the approach road for this tunnel, but after his government left, the project was all but forgotten.

"Our govt increased the pace of construction from 300 meters per year to 1,400 meters per year and completed the project in 2020," Modi said.

The work on Atal Tunnel was accelerated after 2014 and in just six years the government completed the work of 26 years, he said.