Sonia Gandhi lays the foundation stone for Rohtang Tunnel

28 June 2010

 

Kullu(Himachal Pradesh), 28 June 2010:Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday laid the foundation stone for the Rohtang tunnel project.8.8 km long engineering marvel, this tunnel goes through the Himalayan ranges in Manali that would facilitate an alternative all-weather road route to strategically important areas of Ladakh and also provide a year-long connectivity to the Lahaul-Spiti valley of the state.

 

A multi-faith prayer meeting was organised before Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the excavation work of the prestigious project.

Priests from Hindu, Muslim, Christianity and Buddhist sects prayed for the accomplishment. Sonia Gandhi initiated the construction process by pressing the remote button and soon the machine began the digging work. She also lifted the curtain from a black granite tablet on which the inscription reads: "Foundation stone of Rohtang Tunnel laid by National Advisory Council Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on June 28, 2010."

 

Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal were also present at the occasion. Laying of the foundation stone of the tunnel ,was also a realisation of the dream that Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi saw 26 years before.

After laying the foundation stone , Sonia Gandhi addressed a rally in Solang valley where she expressed her happiness on the initiation of the project and said that she has full confidence on the architects of the this challenging project and hopes that the project will be completed on time.

She said that she knows that people of Rohtang have been facing transportation and communication difficulties and the construction of this tunnel will be very helpful in breaking the barriers.

"A little while ago, I laid the foundation stone for the Rohtang tunnel. It is both a happy and a historic occasion. With this, the dream of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi has become true," Ms. Gandhi said at a public meeting here, about 15 km south of the Rohtang tunnel's south portal.

Laying stress on the need to be in harmony with ecology of the region she said "Expanding roads, constructing tunnels and building bridges are important, but the BRO should ensure that these activities do not damage the ecology of these regions."

 

 

 

The Rohtang tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to the tribal areas of Lahaul-Spiti, which gets cut off from the Manali side during winter months due to heavy snow on the 13,050 Fet high Rohtang Pass. The single-tube double lane will reduce the distance of the Manali-Leh highway by about 46 Kilometres. Mr A.K. Anthony, the Union Defence Minister assured the nation that the tunnel will be ready by the year 2015. He also said that the tunnel will be strategically important for the Indian Army in the border areas of Leh-Ladakh. The tunnel will help the people of Lahaul valley to transport their agricultural produce to other parts of the country and thus boost economic development.

 

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) which has taken up the work of the tunnel in its Golden Jubilee year has sought the collaboration of the construction companies Strabag and Afcons.

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