The all-weather Atal tunnel inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km and the travel time by four to five hours. It is the longest highway tunnel in the world.
The strategically important tunnel is 9.02 km long and it connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year. The valley was earlier cut off for about six months every year due to heavy snowfall. The tunnel is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL).
The south portal (SP) of Atal Tunnel is located at a distance of 25 km from Manali at an altitude of 3,060 metres, while the north portal (NP) of the tunnel is located near village Teling, Sissu, in Lahaul Valley at an altitude of 3,071 metres.
