Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the strategically important Atal Tunnel connecting Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti valley thus reducing the travel time to Leh by up to five hours. Atal Tunnel, built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), is the longest highway tunnel in the world above 10,000 ft. “Not only dream of Atal ji realised but also decades-long wait of people of Himachal is over,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi, who was accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, described the inauguration of the tunnel as historic while highlighting that the all-weather project will strengthen the border ares.

In Pics: Magnificent Atal Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in the world

“Atal tunnel will 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,” he said.

The prime minister also sought to credit his government for speeding up the work of the project.

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“Work on Atal Tunnel was accelerated after 2014… in just six years, we completed the work of 26 years. Not just Himachal Pradesh, Atal Tunnel will be a lifeline for Leh-Ladakh,” PM Modi said.

The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had taken the decision to construct a strategic tunnel below the Rohtang Pass on June 3, 2000, and the foundation stone for the access road to the south portal of the tunnel was laid on May 26, 2002.

Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the tunnel is dedicated to the soldiers guarding country’s borders.

“Border Roads Organisation completed construction of Atal Tunnel within its estimated cost of construction. This tunnel is dedicated to the soldiers guarding our borders and those living near border areas,” Rajnath Singh said.