Atal Tunnel will help strengthen border infrastructure: Modi (Ld)

BY VISHAL GULATI Manali, Oct 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the newly inaugurated Atal Tunnel beneath the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district would help give a fresh boost to India’s border infrastructure.
“It is an example of world-class border connectivity. There have been demands to improve border infrastructure but for a long time, such projects either couldn’t get out of planning stage or got stuck midway,” Modi said in his address to officials after dedicating the highway tunnel, one of the world’s most challenging marvel of engineering motorways in the Himalayas, to the nation.
He said that despite the longstanding demand to improve the infrastructure and overall development of the border areas, plans were made only to languish for decades without any progress.
The tunnel would be a lifeline for Ladakh and boost border security.
Earlier, Modi inaugurated the 9.02km tunnel from its south portal near here. It will ensure all-weather connectivity from Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh.
The Prime Minister said such border connectivity projects would also aid the security forces in ensuring regular supplies to them and also in their patrolling.