Located at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the Atal Tunnel at Rohtang has been recognised by the World Book Of Records as the longest highway tunnel in the world. Here’s everything you need to know. By Eshita Srinivas
Travellers heading to Lahaul from Manali (or vice versa) in Himachal Pradesh will have the opportunity to go through the longest highway tunnel in the world. Built under the Rohtang Pass, the Atal tunnel is a popular destination for tourists in the mountain region, especially when it snows. The 9 kilometre-long structure, which eases travel from Kullu valley to Spiti valley, recently made it to the World Book Of Records for being the longest tunnel across the globe, at this height.
The Atal Tunnel is also believed to be the world’s first tunnel with 4G connectivity
The south portal at one end of the tunnel is located in Dhundi near Manali at a height of 9,840 feet. The north portal, at the other end, is in Sissu at a height of 10,171 feet. Ever since its construction, the travel time on the Manali-Sarchu road dropped by nearly four to five hours, regardless of the weather. This is significant considering the extreme weather conditions that the region is known for, with reports stating that the Manali-Leh highway, upon which the tunnel is built, would shut down for over six months due to the snow, isolating Spiti and Lahaul from the Indian mainland for long periods, Financial Express reports.
A moment of immense pride for India as Atal Tunnel has officially been certified by World Book of Records, as the ‘World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 Feet’. #DekhoApnaDesh @hp_tourism pic.twitter.com/WdTEMGSNnt
— Incredible!ndia (@incredibleindia) February 10, 2022
The tunnel was inaugurated in 2020 and has since made travel a lot easier for locals as well as tourists. It was built over a period of 10 years, at a cost of INR 3,200 crore. There are CCTV cameras positioned at every 60 metres of the structure and surveillance is done through the control room.
Emergency exit doors have been installed at every 150 metres as well. Reportedly, any person can open one of these doors to quickly communicate with the control room, using a one-touch panic button. Every 500 metres, the doors open up to the escape tunnel, which is located just below the main tunnel and acts as a means to evacuate people, in case of emergencies. According to a report by Forbes, the tunnel is also the world’s first to have 4G internet connectivity, further improving the region’s access to the rest of the country, as well as the world.
#AtalTunnel certified by World Book of Records, as the World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10000ft, today in New Delhi. Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, DGBR received the award for the stupendous achievement of @BROindia connecting Manali to Lahaul-Spiti Valleyhttps://t.co/tGPj3Z3ZfZ pic.twitter.com/RJdBeO7Cch
— A. Bharat Bhushan Babu (@SpokespersonMoD) February 9, 2022
A certificate of recognition for the tunnel was received by Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, Director General of Border Roads Organisation, at a ceremony in New Delhi. The World Book of Records, London verifies extraordinary records across the world and certifies them.
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Written By
Eshita Srinivas
Eshita is a food, alcohol, travel, and entertainment writer who spends her days zeroing in on the next big trend to write about. She’s a communication graduate with bylines in Conde Nast Traveller India, GQ India, Deccan Herald, and Girls Buzz. When not at work, you’re likely to find her hunting for a good read or charting out the perfect itinerary ..Read More
