Manali, Oct 3 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the majestic Atal Tunnel, beneath the lofty Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, would give new strength to India's border infrastructure.
"It is an example of world-class border connectivity. There have been demands to improve border infrastructure but for a long time, such projects either couldn't get out of planning stage or got stuck midway," Modi said in his address after dedicating the highway tunnel, one of the world's most challenging and a marvel of engineering motorways, in the Himalayas to the nation.
The tunnel would be a lifeline for Ladakh and would boost border security.
Earlier, Modi inaugurated the 9.02km long Atal Tunnel from its south portal near here. It will connect Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh.
It is the longest highway tunnel in the world built at an altitude of 3,000 meters.
Modi said the Atal Tunnel, the dream of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpaye, is going to be "Sanjeevani Buti" for the residents of Lahaul-Spiti, especially during winters when the entire district "gets covered under snow and road connectivity through the Rohtang Pass gets snapped.
Praising the Border Roads Organisation
( With inputs from IANS )
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