Dream Catcher - The ATAL Tunnel – Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh
After 1998 when I visited Manali in 2017, I was happy to learn
that the work on the tunnel not only started but was almost complete - main work being done by BRO - Border Road Organisation. I got an
opportunity to visit the tunnel and travelled up to 2-3 km inside. The
experience was simply exhilarating coupled with a sense of wonder and
achievement and looked forward to the day we could cross it and reach Lahaul- a faraway destination.
- It is 9.2 km long and highest Highway Tube tunnel in
the world above 10000 feet under the Rohtang pass in HP in the Pir Panjal range
of the Himalays.
- It connects Manali to Lahaul (the gateway to
Leh and Ladakh ) which was otherwise inaccessible for 6 months in a year. One
had to cross the Rohtang pass which is 13 thousand feet above sea level and snow covered for
5-6 months in the year. It was strategically important to have a clear road for the smooth and fast movement of the armed forces. (Two more tunnels are being planned to have an all weather road till China border)
- It reduced the distance by 46 km and travel time by 5-6 hours between Manali to Keylong and opened up the Lahaul valley for all, throughout the year.
The idea was initially seeded by the Moravian Missionaries in 1860’s and then later by the officials of GSI in 1940’s. But it only remained a talk as the project if planned involved huge cost and major technical skills to tackle harsh weather conditions. We can thank our visionary ex PM Atal Bihari Bajpai’s love for Himachal and especially Manali to announce it in the year 2000 during his visit to Lahaul, though the work did not commence till it was approved by the ‘Cabinet Committee on Security’ in 2009 and the work started in 2010 with a deadline for completion in 2014.
This dream unfortunately met with many hurdles – harsh topographical
conditions - the snow on the north portal (3/4 tunnel was dug from the Manali
side –i.e. the South Portal), the avalanche like conditions on 24 sites,
unstable rocks, mammoth muck disposal from digging and most of all the excess water from the Seri
Nallah (at times 30 lakhs litres a day to be dewatered) - leading to costlier
treatment which resulted in huge cost overrun and delays (from estimated 900 crores to
actual 3200 crores), change of Governments (fortunately no people’s protest and
no human loss – except for initial 42 lives lost in 2003 flash floods).
Overcoming all these the tunnel was inaugurated by our PM Mr Modi on 3rd
October 2020.
The Inauguration Day - Picture source Wikipedia
North Portal - June 2023
Thousands of vehicles crossed over the Tunnel and entered the almost elusive Lahaul in the very first week of its opening and became an instant hit with the tourists. Its popularity can be seen by the number of vehicles crossing the Atal Tunnel on a daily basis reaching a record of almost 11 thousand vehicle in a single day during Christmas last year. Now the question comes why it has become so popular? – After all it’s just a tunnel?
The North Portal totally packed with Cars and snow - Wikipedia
But it is not just a tunnel - it is dream catcher. It is taking people to a world beyond and inaccessible; to the vistas unimaginable – the majestic snow clad mountains, beautiful Sissu with its lake and willow trees, Chandrabhaga confluence, the unique culture of Lahaul, drives amidst the snow, more selifes and more memories. Most importantly all can be covered in just one day from Manali. And those who want more adventure can drive up-to Lahaul and beyond – to Kaza, to Udaipur, to Chandrataal, to passes, to Leh and many more.
Sharing some pics of the culture of Lahaul during Snow Festival 2021-possible only after the Tunnel
The famous 'Halda' festival of Lahaul - to ward off the evil eyes
With the local tribal women of Lahaul in their traditional dress and jewelry
CHOLO - the most popular Dice game of Lahaul - the main attraction of winters to time pass
Trying my hand at 'Teerandazi' during Snow Festival - March 2021
Dressed up in traditional dresses of Lahaul - Snow Festival 2021
Since the opening of the tunnel there is a 600% increase in the footfall in Lahaul, more than 800 Homestays got themselves registered with the Tourism department in Lahaul and Spiti area, more than 20 lakh vehicles have crossed the tunnel, many day treks and long ones, tented colonies at Sarchu and Sissu, Bikers and Cyclists tours (I came to know that a vendor has recently bought motorcycles worth rupees 4 crores to put out for rent in Manali), the Snow – Festival in Lahaul was initiated in 2021 January itself by Mr Pankaj Rai, the then D C Lahaul, many adventure sports and more. Most of all the movement of the Army became faster and smoother.
The Snow Festival - Pic curtsey DC Office Lahaul 
The meadows of Sissu
The Sissu Water Fall
The exciting Zip-Line
The Sissu Lake - where one can enjoy the boat rides as well
The tunnel itself is an engineering marvel with all possible
modern amenities. Do you know that there is an evacuation tunnel just below the
actual tunnel? It also has two separate exits for rescue. And do you also know
that it has a public announcement system and many cameras to monitor the entire
tunnel 24*7 including telephone connections at every 150 meters and fire hydrants ? . It has state of art ventilation system and controlled illumination with proper dividers and signage for smooth flow of traffic. To
tackle the persisting problem of water inflow from the Seri Nallah an
evacuation tunnel is being constructed by NHPC on top of the highway tunnel.
I recently visited the tunnel again and felt the same
excitement – same exhilaration, same enjoyment of the world beyond. Enjoyed the
Trout fish at the newly constructed Tourism café and the Zip-line and the
scenery around. Again marveled at our ability to envisage and collectively
execute our dreams and enjoy – a truly awesome trait of us Sapiens.
Very eloquent and informative post, I now am determined to visit. The history and photos are especially relevant.
ReplyDeleteA thought provoking, interesting read .
ReplyDeleteConception to completion -then and now; the writer is through the world's longest single tube highway Atal Tunnel.
Highly informative post, Madam
ReplyDeleteYou have familiarized us with many unknown facts about Atal Tunnel and that too with many rare photographs. You have presented it in a very lively manner, and it appears that we are standing in front of Atal Tunnel itself. You have also introduced with Lahauli culture on the Northern pole with beautiful pictures, which is something new for me.
This has been a wonderful write up... both a blog and a travelogue. You have so nicely joined the pieces of pictures, landscapes and write up. The history and the contemporary delineation of the Atal tunnel with sprinkle of Lahul culture makes your work a pulchritudinous literary mosaic.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes and hope for many more to come from your stylus .
This is a wonderful journey of Himachal
ReplyDeleteI can't thank you enough for your awe-inspiring Manali travel blog! Each post is a testament to your passion for exploration and your talent for storytelling. Through your words and images, you transport us to distant lands, igniting our wanderlust and fueling our desire for adventure. Your dedication to sharing your experiences and insights is deeply appreciated. Thank you for being a guiding light in the world of travel blogging. Your posts are a true treasure!
ReplyDelete