A historic day: JP Nadda

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 3

BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda today said that it was a historic day not only for Himachal but also for the entire country as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Atal Tunnel at Rohtang. He thanked the Prime Minister for inaugurating the tunnel and congratulated the people of the state on the completion of the mega project.

Nadda, who could not attend the function due to his preoccupation with the preparations for the Bihar Assembly elections, said, “As a Himachali and BJP worker, I express my gratitude to the Prime Minister. It is a matter of great satisfaction that the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had laid the foundation stone of the approach road for starting the construction of the tunnel on May 26, 2002, and in spite of the obstacles created by the successive Congress governments, the project has been completed”.

The tunnel not only reduces the distance between Manali and Keylong but also bridges the gaps in development. The people of Lahaul and Spiti district have witnessed a new dawn, as the tunnel will not only provide all-weather connectivity but also shorten the distance by 46 km and curtail the driving time by about four hours. — JP Nadda

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“The cherished dream of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been fulfilled and the decades-long wait of tribal people has ended with the inauguration of the Atal Tunnel (Rohtang). The tunnel is of strategic importance and will also usher in a new era of development in the region,” Nadda said in a press note issued here.

“The Prime Minister expedited the work on the project and it was completed in six years. It was named Atal Tunnel in December 2019,” Nadda said. He recalled that Vajpayee while laying the foundation stone had said that it was a milestone of development but when he came to Manali after demitting the office, he was very upset with the slow pace of the work.