Sept ’20 Rohtang tunnel’s new deadline

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, October 4

The BRO has pushed back its target to accomplish the task of completing the 8.8-km-long Rohtang tunnel to September 30, 2020.

Earlier, the government had set December 2019 as the deadline for the completion of the ambitious tunnel project. Talking to The Tribune, Chief Engineer of Rohtang tunnel project KP Purshothman said that both the portals of the tunnel would be connected permanently by October 31, 2019, while inside civil work would be completed by March 31, 2020.

“We are targeting to accomplish the electrification work of the tunnel till September 30, 2020 and progress is going on in this direction. The water ingress from Seri Nullah was a big hurdle for the tunnel authority but now we are in the final stage to channelize the water course”, he remarked.

He said that the tunnel authorities would allow movement of vehicles via tunnel only in emergency cases for residents of Lahaul Spiti. The electric substation at Sisu on the Lahaul Spiti side would be connected via tunnel from Dundhi substation on the Manali side till September 2020.

“This would provide better power supply during winter season to the residents of Lahaul Spiti because presently power lines via Rohtang Pass from the Manali side get damaged frequently because of heavy snowfall during winter season every year”, he added. Rohtang Tunnel is a highway tunnel being built under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway. The tunnel is at an elevation of (10,171 ft) whereas the Rohtang Pass is at an elevation of 13,050 ft.