Rohtang tunnel

MANALI: The 8.8-km-long Rohtang tunnel will be opened for general traffic movement by September 2020 and after October 31 this year for emergency purpose, project chief engineer K P Purushothaman said on Friday.

The chief engineer said Union defence minister Rajnath Singh would visit the tunnel to review the ongoing works this month. He said the project had reached its last stage and would be opened for public by September 2020.

The Seri nullah default zone inside the tunnel which had affected the work badly in the past many years has been fixed and only a 100m work is left to be completed. The work is expected to be completed by October 31. The tunnel was completely blocked even for emergency purpose since July 19 due to work on Seri nullah zone and would be reopened for emergency by end of this month, he said.

“Civil works are almost complete. Electric works are continuing on a war footing. Twelve avalanche protection galleries are being built between Solang and Dhundi. Both ends of the tunnel will be developed keeping in view the local architecture and culture. We shall try our best to provide all possible help to the people of Lahaul valley during winter months when Rohtang pass is blocked by snow,” K P Purushothaman said.

The high-speed telephone optical fiber cable (OFC) to Lahaul valley has also been laid through the tunnel. Earlier, it was laid across Rohtang pass and used to get damaged for months during winter seasons after heavy snowfall. Now the government is planning to lay 33KV power lines via tunnel.

The foundation stone of Rohtang tunnel project was laid by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on June 28, 2010 at Dhundi, the south portal of the tunnel near Manali . The tunnel is being built in Pir Panjal ranges above 10,000ft from sea level.

Once completed, the tunnel will shorten the distance between Manali and Leh by nearly 46km and will decrease travel time by nearly three hours. The tunnel will provide all-weather road connectivity to tribal Lahaul and Pangi regions in Himachal.

The estimated completion time period of the tunnel was five years. But many unexpected geological challenges including high water ingress due to Seri nullah affected the work progress badly. Border Roads Organization (BRO) kept postponing the deadlines of the work. Now that civil works are almost complete, BRO has given another deadline of September 2020. However, officials are very much confident to complete all works by this date and said there will be no more delay.

