Rohtang tunnel work in Himachal to begin June
May 5th, 2010 - 5:29 pm ICT by IANSShimla, May 5 (IANS) Work on Himachal Pradesh’s nine-km long Rohtang tunnel, close to the China border, will start early next month, an official said here Wednesday.
The horseshoe shaped tunnel, under the Rohtang Pass, will provide all-weather connectivity to the state’s Lahaul and Spiti districts that remain cut off from the rest of the country for more than four months owing to the closure of the pass due to heavy snowfall.
“Work on the construction of Rohtang tunnel will start by the second week of June,” Border Roads Organisation (BRO) chief engineer (Rohtang tunnel project) P.K. Mahajan told IANS.
The BRO is controlled by the central government, and constructs and maintains road links along the international border.
Mahajan said the project is likely to be completed within five years.
The central cabinet committee on security in September 2009 approved Afcons Infrastructure, in collaboration with European firm Strabag, as the building contractor for the tunnel.
The foundation stone of the tunnel was laid by then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2002.
The cabinet committee has approved Rs.1,450 crore for the project.
The tunnel, some 300 km from Shimla, will reduce the distance by road between Manali and Leh in Jammu and Kashmir by 40 km. At present, the distance between the two is 475 km.
The Manali-Leh highway winds its way through the Rohtang Pass (13,050 feet), Baralacha Pass (16,020 feet), Lachlungla Pass (16,620 feet) and Tanglangla (17,480 feet).
It also plays an important role in the movement of the armed forces to the forward areas in Ladakh.
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the construction of tunnel will play an important role in boosting economic activity in the Lahaul Valley.
“It will enable farmers of the Lahaul Valley to transport their produce to other areas of the state throughout the year,” he said.
The valley is known for producing disease-free seed potatoes with a major chunk of the crop being procured by potato-growing states like West Bengal, Bihar and Karnataka.
Other crops in the valley are peas and cauliflower. Fruits like apple, pear, apricot, almond and plum are also grown there.
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- Manali-Leh highway partially reopened - Jun 01, 2011
- Avoid Manali-Leh highway, snowfall likely - Oct 23, 2011
- Don't travel on Manali-Leh highway after October - Oct 07, 2010
- Working 24X7 to see light at the end of Rohtang tunnel - Jan 15, 2012
- Time for pulsating action on Himachal highway - Jun 09, 2011
- Work on Rohtang tunnel partially suspended after snowfall - Nov 21, 2010
- Diverting avalanches! More tech marvels unfold in Rohtang - Mar 15, 2012
- Snowfall forces closure of Manali-Leh highway - Oct 19, 2009
- Permit must for Manali-Leh travel by non-Himachal vehicles - Jun 26, 2011
- Sonia to lay Rohtang tunnel's foundation stone June 28 - Jun 03, 2010
- Manali-Leh highway likely to reopen Saturday - Jun 04, 2010
- Luxury bus service between Manali and Leh reopens - Jul 02, 2011
- Snow clearing work begins on Manali-Leh highway - Mar 01, 2011
- Manali-Leh highway to be closed from Oct 31 - Oct 14, 2009
Tags: border roads, building contractor, cabinet committee, chief engineer, forward areas, foundation stone, free seed, himachal pradesh, international border, jammu and kashmir, mahajan, manali, rohtang pass, seed potatoes, shimla, spiti, strabag, tunnel project, tunnel work, vajpayee