Ladakh and winter have all along been two contrasting and incompatible entities as the entire region remains cut off from rest of the world by road during the entire winter season . Apart from importance on account of adventure tourism , Ladakh has its sensitivity for being a border region , being a strategic zone due to un-demarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China due to which there is considerable and uninterrupted movement of troops which is dependent on the quality of the connectivity . Now in the very near future , there will be all weather connectivity to Ladakh which was going to better the lot of the entire region as Atal Tunnel , hitherto known as Rohtang tunnel , was going to be built. The need for such an arrangement that ensures connectivity throughout the year has long been felt as apart from inner connectivity to remotest areas, this tunnel was going to give a big boost to tourism for which this region is a repository of huge potential . Once completed, the distance of great measure approximately over 46 kilometres too would stand reduced between Manali and Leh. This tunnel shall be having the distinction of being the longest (8.8 Kms) in the world to be built at an altitude of 3000 metres .
With the change of status from being one of the three regions of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and becoming a Union Territory , the neglect in terms of sustained development and absence of initiating of projects of infrastructural importance faced by the region so far, is being adequately addressed. Announcing by the Union Defence Minister about the mega project of building up of the Atal tunnel at a cost of Rs.4000 crore and to be completed in all respects by 2020 is one of the giant steps towards that end. This will render the existing hardships faced by the people of the region, who remain cut off by road from Kashmir for more than five months in a row during winter due to heavy snowfall, blocking the Srinagar -Leh National Highway, consigned to the pages of history as new dawn is expected to rid the people of all difficulties of connectivity. Troop movement too will be smooth and consistent as per requirements. Among other areas , Manali too would be benefitted.
This project is also loaded with providing huge employment avenues to people during its construction and even thereafter. The underground motor passage was chosen to be named after the name of the popular leader and ex- Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by the Prime Minster at New Delhi recently at an event. The Prime Minister termed the Atal Tunnel as a big project “important for the country” due to strategic importance of the region. This tunnel was going to connect Himachal Pradesh with Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir connecting Manali with Leh. The tunnel being dedicated to Atal Ji is primarily for the reason that as Prime Minister , he had taken the decision in the year 2000 to build this tunnel below the Rohtang Pass.
That the stupendous and challenging project is expected to be completed by the end of 2020 by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) which is under the Ministry of Defence, shall definitely be a record of engineering feats and marvel as also the expected pace of work on it especially in such trying weather and seasonal conditions in the region. BRO has already proved its mettle by successfully “conquering” major challenges sprouted by very difficult terrain and weather conditions in constructing the most difficult stretch of 587 metre in Seri Nallah Fault Zone. Surmounting difficulties and hard challenges has been the hallmark of our engineers , technicians and workers on the ground itself.
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