Rohtang tunnel set to open! During winters, heavy snowfall in the Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh often cuts off villages in Lahaul-Spiti from the rest of India. That is set to change with one of the most prestigious projects in the country – the Rohtang tunnel, which cuts through the Pir Panjal range, providing a winter link to residents of Lahaul and Spiti as well as to those living in Ladakh’s Zanskar valley. The 8.8 km long tunnel is all set to become the world’s longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet. With the project’s development work almost complete, the tunnel is now likely to be operational by May 2020 as against the official schedule of September 2020, according to an IE report.
Thus, the new targetted deadline has given fresh impetus to the remaining work inside the tunnel. This means that the tunnel, which had been opened a week ago for civilian traffic, will be closed again starting from November 25, with access only to those in need of emergency medical treatment.
