A cold wave has gripped much of north India with dense fog and snowfall in the hills, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted rainfall in southern states on Tuesday (Dec 24). Meanwhile, the national capital Delhi’s air quality remained in the “severe” category.

<h2>Delhi weather and AQI</h2>

The IMD has forecast clear skies and cool temperatures on Tuesday (Dec 24) in Delhi, with fog or smog expected in early morning. The temperatures are likely to range between 11 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius.

Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) meanwhile has not improved despite light rain the day before. On Monday (Dec 23), the 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 406 as the air pollution crisis continues, posing health risks for residents.

The lack of favourable winds and cold wave conditions have resulted in a blanket of hazardous smog over Delhi and nearby regions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pune-road-tragedy-speeding-bumper-mows-down-sleeping-labourers-three-dead-786093">Pune road tragedy: Speeding bumper mows down sleeping labourers, three dead</a>

<h2>Cold wave in north India</h2>

Cold wave conditions are also predicted in other north Indian regions including Uttar Pradesh Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

Several trains have been delayed due to dense fog and passengers are advised to check the status before reaching the stations to avoid any inconvenience.

High-altitude regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are experiencing snowfall, attracting tourists.

However, the situation in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali turned worse when over 1,000 vehicles were stuck in long jams between Solang and Atal Tunnel, Rohtang amid a snowstorm, prompting a rescue operation to evacuate around 700,000 tourists.

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<h2>IMD predicts rainfall in southern India</h2>

The weather department has forecast light to heavy rainfall in southwest and southern India due to a low-pressure area developing over the Bay of Bengal.

Light to moderate rainfall is expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and coastal Odisha.&nbsp;

Heavy rainfall in Mumbai and light rain in Chennai and Bengaluru are also predicted. Isolated rain is predicted in Kolkata with cloudy skies throughout the day.

(With inputs from agencies)

A cold wave has gripped much of north India with dense fog and snowfall in the hills, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted rainfall in southern states on Tuesday (Dec 24).

A cold wave has gripped much of north India with dense fog and snowfall in the hills, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted rainfall in southern states on Tuesday (Dec 24). Meanwhile, the national capital Delhi’s air quality remained in the “severe” category. Delhi weather and AQI The IMD has forecast clear skies and cool temperatures on Tuesday (Dec 24) in Delhi, with fog or smog expected in early morning. The temperatures are likely to range between 11 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) meanwhile has not improved despite light rain the day before. On Monday (Dec 23), the 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 406 as the air pollution crisis continues, posing health risks for residents. The lack of favourable winds and cold wave conditions have resulted in a blanket of hazardous smog over Delhi and nearby regions. Also read | Pune road tragedy: Speeding bumper mows down sleeping labourers, three dead Cold wave in north India Cold wave conditions are also predicted in other north Indian regions including Uttar Pradesh Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Several trains have been delayed due to dense fog and passengers are advised to check the status before reaching the stations to avoid any inconvenience. High-altitude regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are experiencing snowfall, attracting tourists. However, the situation in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali turned worse when over 1,000 vehicles were stuck in long jams between Solang and Atal Tunnel, Rohtang amid a snowstorm, prompting a rescue operation to evacuate around 700,000 tourists. #WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Traffic congestion and slow vehicular movement witnessed in Manali as people throng to hilly areas after fresh snowfall (Source: Himachal Pradesh Police) pic.twitter.com/hmWfK6Xxjq — ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2024 × Also read | Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar to visit US from Dec 24-29 to discuss bilateral and global issues IMD predicts rainfall in southern India The weather department has forecast light to heavy rainfall in southwest and southern India due to a low-pressure area developing over the Bay of Bengal. Light to moderate rainfall is expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and coastal Odisha. Heavy rainfall in Mumbai and light rain in Chennai and Bengaluru are also predicted. Isolated rain is predicted in Kolkata with cloudy skies throughout the day. (With inputs from agencies)

India weather update: Cold wave grips north, rainfall expected in south

New Delhi, India
A cold wave has gripped much of north India with dense fog and snowfall in the hills, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted rainfall in southern states on Tuesday (Dec 24). Meanwhile, the national capital Delhi’s air quality remained in the “severe” category.
<h2>Delhi weather and AQI</h2>
The IMD has forecast clear skies and cool temperatures on Tuesday (Dec 24) in Delhi, with fog or smog expected in early morning. The temperatures are likely to range between 11 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius.
Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) meanwhile has not improved despite light rain the day before. On Monday (Dec 23), the 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 406 as the air pollution crisis continues, posing health risks for residents.
The lack of favourable winds and cold wave conditions have resulted in a blanket of hazardous smog over Delhi and nearby regions.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pune-road-tragedy-speeding-bumper-mows-down-sleeping-labourers-three-dead-786093">Pune road tragedy: Speeding bumper mows down sleeping labourers, three dead</a>
<h2>Cold wave in north India</h2>
Cold wave conditions are also predicted in other north Indian regions including Uttar Pradesh Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
Several trains have been delayed due to dense fog and passengers are advised to check the status before reaching the stations to avoid any inconvenience.
High-altitude regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are experiencing snowfall, attracting tourists.
However, the situation in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali turned worse when over 1,000 vehicles were stuck in long jams between Solang and Atal Tunnel, Rohtang amid a snowstorm, prompting a rescue operation to evacuate around 700,000 tourists.
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(Source: Himachal Pradesh Police) <a href="https://t.co/hmWfK6Xxjq">pic.twitter.com/hmWfK6Xxjq</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1871378243624046948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>IMD predicts rainfall in southern India</h2>
The weather department has forecast light to heavy rainfall in southwest and southern India due to a low-pressure area developing over the Bay of Bengal.
Light to moderate rainfall is expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and coastal Odisha. 
Heavy rainfall in Mumbai and light rain in Chennai and Bengaluru are also predicted. Isolated rain is predicted in Kolkata with cloudy skies throughout the day.
(With inputs from agencies)

High-altitude regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are experiencing snowfall, attracting tourists



New Delhi, India A cold wave has gripped much of north India with dense fog and snowfall in the hills, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted rainfall in southern states on Tuesday (Dec 24). Meanwhile, the national capital Delhi’s air quality remained in the “severe” category. Delhi weather and AQI The IMD has forecast clear skies and cool temperatures on Tuesday (Dec 24) in Delhi, with fog or smog expected in early morning. The temperatures are likely to range between 11 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) meanwhile has not improved despite light rain the day before. On Monday (Dec 23), the 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 406 as the air pollution crisis continues, posing health risks for residents. The lack of favourable winds and cold wave conditions have resulted in a blanket of hazardous smog over Delhi and nearby regions. Also read | Pune road tragedy: Speeding bumper mows down sleeping labourers, three dead Cold wave in north India Cold wave conditions are also predicted in other north Indian regions including Uttar Pradesh Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Several trains have been delayed due to dense fog and passengers are advised to check the status before reaching the stations to avoid any inconvenience. High-altitude regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are experiencing snowfall, attracting tourists. However, the situation in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali turned worse when over 1,000 vehicles were stuck in long jams between Solang and Atal Tunnel, Rohtang amid a snowstorm, prompting a rescue operation to evacuate around 700,000 tourists. #WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Traffic congestion and slow vehicular movement witnessed in Manali as people throng to hilly areas after fresh snowfall (Source: Himachal Pradesh Police) pic.twitter.com/hmWfK6Xxjq — ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2024 × Also read | Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar to visit US from Dec 24-29 to discuss bilateral and global issues IMD predicts rainfall in southern India The weather department has forecast light to heavy rainfall in southwest and southern India due to a low-pressure area developing over the Bay of Bengal. Light to moderate rainfall is expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and coastal Odisha. Heavy rainfall in Mumbai and light rain in Chennai and Bengaluru are also predicted. Isolated rain is predicted in Kolkata with cloudy skies throughout the day. (With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh’s Rohtang on October 3, which connects Solang Valley near Manali to Sissu in Lahaul and Spiti district. The Atal Tunnel is the longest highway tunnel in the world (9.02-km), built at an altitude of 3,000 meters.

Indian PM inaugurates Atal Tunnel | Designed for traffic density of 3000 cars, 1500 trucks

Attacking the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the country's defence interests were compromised for a long time as their governments kept "playing around with files" and delayed procurement of fighter jets, arms, ammunition and other strategic equipment.

Addressing public meetings in Himachal Pradesh after inaugurating strategically-important Atal Tunnel, the prime minister also took a swipe at the Opposition's protest against farm and labour laws, saying those parties also had similar ideas but lacked the courage to implement these measures because they focussed on elections while his government looked at the country's and farmers' welfare.

"Nothing is more important for us than the defence of the country. But for a long time, the country has also witnessed an era when the defence interests of the country were compromised. The Air Force of the country kept demanding a modern fighter plane, while they kept opening and closing files after files, and kept playing around with those files," he said at Rohtang after inaugurating the tunnel.

PM Modi's reference assumes significance in the wake of the government's repeated assertion that the UPA regime had delayed decisions on the acquisition of Rafale fighter jets from France.

"Be it ammunition, modern rifles, bulletproof jackets, equipment that are used in cold weather conditions, everything was kept in abeyance. There was a time when the strength of our ordnance factories would make many jitters, but the country's ordnance factories were left on their own," he said after inaugurating the 9.02-km tunnel, which reduces the travel distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km and the travel time by four to five hours.

It has been billed as the world's longest highway tunnel, connecting Manali and Leh and built at a cost of over Rs 3,000 crore.

Hitting out at the Congress, which headed the coalition government at the Centre during 2004-14, Modi cited a number of strategically important projects, from the Atal tunnel to the airstrip at Daulat Beg Oldi in Ladakh and Tejas fighter aircraft production, to assert that they were delayed or almost forgotten.

A world-class organization like the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was created for indigenous fighter aircraft, helicopters, but attention was not given to strengthen it, he said.

The selfishness of people who had been in power for years prevented our military capabilities from being strengthened, Modi said. He questioned as to what "compulsion" and "pressure" might have been behind the delay in projects, without directly naming the Congress.

His government, the prime minister said, has deployed all its strength to develop border infrastructure, adding that never before has work been done at such a big scale, be it building roads, bridges, or tunnels.

For long, he said, border projects could never come out of the planning stage and those which did got stuck or were kept on the back burner and neglected.

The then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had inaugurated the approach road to Atal Tunnel in 2002, but the project was almost forgotten after his government was gone, Modi said, targeting the Congress-led UPA dispensation.

Work on only 1,300 meters was completed by 2013-14, he noted, adding that the project would have been completed by 2040 by this pace before his government took charge in 2014 and speeded it up at an unprecedented rate.

"Our govt increased the pace of construction from 300 meters/year to 1400 meters/year and completed the project in 2020," Modi said. In just six years the government completed the work of 26 years, he said.

He said that according to a 2005 assessment, the tunnel would have been ready in about nine and a half crore rupees but due to continuous delays, today it has taken about Rs 3,200 crore.

Just like the Atal tunnel, this treatment was meted out to several such projects, the prime minister said, adding that Daulat Beg Oldi airstrip remained closed for four to five decades. 
"There was no political will. I can talk about dozens of projects that are important from the strategic point of view, but for years they were neglected," he said, hitting out at the previous Congress-led governments.

In this context, he also referred to the Kosi mega-bridge in Bihar which was envisaged by the Vajpayee government and inaugurated by him last month.

Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Veerbhadra Singh recently said the project was originally envisaged by former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1972, while a foundation stone was laid for the tunnel in 2010 by the then UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Later, addressing his public meeting in more than six months ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic forced a nationwide lockdown in March, Modi said the inauguration of the Atal tunnel is part of the central government's resolve that the benefit of development should reach every part of the country and to every person.

"The reason was that some districts did not serve the political benefit of some people. Now work is being done with new thinking of 'Sabke saath se, sabke vishvaas se, sabka vikaas ho raha hai' (Development for all is happening with help of everyone and with the trust of everyone)," Modi said at the public meeting in Sissu village of Lahaul-Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh. 
"There has been a transformation in the government's way of work. Now, schemes are not made based on how many votes are there in an area. Now the effort is that no Indian is left out," he said.

At his second public meeting at Solang Valley, Modi took a swipe at the Opposition's protest against farm reform laws, saying those parties also had the same idea but lacked the courage to implement these measures because they focussed on elections while his government looked at the country's and farmers' welfare.

Modi said those protesting against the laws wanted farmers to live in the previous century, and are now jolted by his government's attack on middlemen.

Attacking the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the country's defence interests were compromised for a long time as their governments kept "playing around with files" and delayed procurement of fighter jets, arms, ammunition and other strategic equipment.

Attacking the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the country's defence interests were compromised for a long time as their governments kept "playing around with files" and delayed procurement of fighter jets, arms, ammunition and other strategic equipment. Addressing public meetings in Himachal Pradesh after inaugurating strategically-important Atal Tunnel, the prime minister also took a swipe at the Opposition's protest against farm and labour laws, saying those parties also had similar ideas but lacked the courage to implement these measures because they focussed on elections while his government looked at the country's and farmers' welfare. "Nothing is more important for us than the defence of the country. But for a long time, the country has also witnessed an era when the defence interests of the country were compromised. The Air Force of the country kept demanding a modern fighter plane, while they kept opening and closing files after files, and kept playing around with those files," he said at Rohtang after inaugurating the tunnel. PM Modi's reference assumes significance in the wake of the government's repeated assertion that the UPA regime had delayed decisions on the acquisition of Rafale fighter jets from France. "Be it ammunition, modern rifles, bulletproof jackets, equipment that are used in cold weather conditions, everything was kept in abeyance. There was a time when the strength of our ordnance factories would make many jitters, but the country's ordnance factories were left on their own," he said after inaugurating the 9.02-km tunnel, which reduces the travel distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km and the travel time by four to five hours. It has been billed as the world's longest highway tunnel, connecting Manali and Leh and built at a cost of over Rs 3,000 crore. Hitting out at the Congress, which headed the coalition government at the Centre during 2004-14, Modi cited a number of strategically important projects, from the Atal tunnel to the airstrip at Daulat Beg Oldi in Ladakh and Tejas fighter aircraft production, to assert that they were delayed or almost forgotten. A world-class organization like the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was created for indigenous fighter aircraft, helicopters, but attention was not given to strengthen it, he said. The selfishness of people who had been in power for years prevented our military capabilities from being strengthened, Modi said. He questioned as to what "compulsion" and "pressure" might have been behind the delay in projects, without directly naming the Congress. His government, the prime minister said, has deployed all its strength to develop border infrastructure, adding that never before has work been done at such a big scale, be it building roads, bridges, or tunnels. For long, he said, border projects could never come out of the planning stage and those which did got stuck or were kept on the back burner and neglected. The then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had inaugurated the approach road to Atal Tunnel in 2002, but the project was almost forgotten after his government was gone, Modi said, targeting the Congress-led UPA dispensation. Work on only 1,300 meters was completed by 2013-14, he noted, adding that the project would have been completed by 2040 by this pace before his government took charge in 2014 and speeded it up at an unprecedented rate. "Our govt increased the pace of construction from 300 meters/year to 1400 meters/year and completed the project in 2020," Modi said. In just six years the government completed the work of 26 years, he said. He said that according to a 2005 assessment, the tunnel would have been ready in about nine and a half crore rupees but due to continuous delays, today it has taken about Rs 3,200 crore. Just like the Atal tunnel, this treatment was meted out to several such projects, the prime minister said, adding that Daulat Beg Oldi airstrip remained closed for four to five decades. "There was no political will. I can talk about dozens of projects that are important from the strategic point of view, but for years they were neglected," he said, hitting out at the previous Congress-led governments. In this context, he also referred to the Kosi mega-bridge in Bihar which was envisaged by the Vajpayee government and inaugurated by him last month. Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Veerbhadra Singh recently said the project was originally envisaged by former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1972, while a foundation stone was laid for the tunnel in 2010 by the then UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Later, addressing his public meeting in more than six months ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic forced a nationwide lockdown in March, Modi said the inauguration of the Atal tunnel is part of the central government's resolve that the benefit of development should reach every part of the country and to every person. "The reason was that some districts did not serve the political benefit of some people. Now work is being done with new thinking of 'Sabke saath se, sabke vishvaas se, sabka vikaas ho raha hai' (Development for all is happening with help of everyone and with the trust of everyone)," Modi said at the public meeting in Sissu village of Lahaul-Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh. "There has been a transformation in the government's way of work. Now, schemes are not made based on how many votes are there in an area. Now the effort is that no Indian is left out," he said. At his second public meeting at Solang Valley, Modi took a swipe at the Opposition's protest against farm reform laws, saying those parties also had the same idea but lacked the courage to implement these measures because they focussed on elections while his government looked at the country's and farmers' welfare. Modi said those protesting against the laws wanted farmers to live in the previous century, and are now jolted by his government's attack on middlemen.

PM Modi inaugurates Atal Tunnel, attacks Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the majestic Atal Tunnel, beneath the lofty Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh`s Kullu district, would give new strength 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 after dedicating the highway tunnel, one of the world`s most challenging and a marvel of engineering motorways, in the Himalayas to the nation.

The tunnel would be a lifeline for Ladakh and would boost border security.

Earlier, Modi inaugurated the 9.02km long Atal Tunnel from its south portal near here. It will connect Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh.

It is the longest highway tunnel in the world built at an altitude of 3,000 meters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/worlds-longest-highway-tunnel-connecting-manali-with-leh-ready-after-10-years-327912">Also read:&nbsp;World's longest highway tunnel connecting Manali with Leh ready after 10 years</a>

Modi said the Atal Tunnel, the dream of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpaye, is going to be "Sanjeevani Buti" for the residents of Lahaul-Spiti, especially during winters when the entire district "gets covered under snow and road connectivity through the Rohtang Pass gets snapped.

Praising the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), a wing of the Defence Ministry, Modi said, "One of our top priorities is to strengthen the international border on all sides."

He blamed the previous government in the Centre for deliberately ignoring the projects of strategic importance.

"There is nothing more important for us than protecting the country. But the country has also seen a period when the defence interests of the country were compromised."

"Even in the case of Atal Tunnel, if the pace of the construction continued as in the previous governments it would have been completed by 2040," Modi, donning a Himachal cap, said.

"In the year 2002, Atalji laid the foundation stone of the approach road to the tunnel.

"After Atalji`s government, this work was forgotten. The situation was that by 2013-14, only 1,300 meters of the work for the tunnel was completed," said Modi.

"Work on Atal Tunnel was accelerated after 2014; in just six years, we completed the work of 26 years."

"My brothers and sisters of Himachal Pradesh can understand what it means to reduce the distance of three-four hours on the mountain with the completion of this tunnel," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the majestic Atal Tunnel, beneath the lofty Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh`s Kullu district, would give new strength to India`s border infrastructure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the majestic Atal Tunnel, beneath the lofty Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh`s Kullu district, would give new strength 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 after dedicating the highway tunnel, one of the world`s most challenging and a marvel of engineering motorways, in the Himalayas to the nation. The tunnel would be a lifeline for Ladakh and would boost border security. Earlier, Modi inaugurated the 9.02km long Atal Tunnel from its south portal near here. It will connect Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh. It is the longest highway tunnel in the world built at an altitude of 3,000 meters. Also read: World's longest highway tunnel connecting Manali with Leh ready after 10 years Modi said the Atal Tunnel, the dream of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpaye, is going to be "Sanjeevani Buti" for the residents of Lahaul-Spiti, especially during winters when the entire district "gets covered under snow and road connectivity through the Rohtang Pass gets snapped. Praising the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), a wing of the Defence Ministry, Modi said, "One of our top priorities is to strengthen the international border on all sides." He blamed the previous government in the Centre for deliberately ignoring the projects of strategic importance. "There is nothing more important for us than protecting the country. But the country has also seen a period when the defence interests of the country were compromised." "Even in the case of Atal Tunnel, if the pace of the construction continued as in the previous governments it would have been completed by 2040," Modi, donning a Himachal cap, said. "In the year 2002, Atalji laid the foundation stone of the approach road to the tunnel. "After Atalji`s government, this work was forgotten. The situation was that by 2013-14, only 1,300 meters of the work for the tunnel was completed," said Modi. "Work on Atal Tunnel was accelerated after 2014; in just six years, we completed the work of 26 years." "My brothers and sisters of Himachal Pradesh can understand what it means to reduce the distance of three-four hours on the mountain with the completion of this tunnel," he said.

Atal Tunnel will give new strength to border infrastructure: Modi

The construction of the Atal Tunnel connecting Manali with Leh, which is the world's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet, has been completed in a span of 10 years whereas the original estimated time was less than six years.

"Atal Tunnel, connecting Manali to Leh, is the world''s longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet. The estimated period for completion of this tunnel was less than 6 years but it was completed in 10 years," said KP Purushothaman, Chief Engineer.

"There are CCTV cameras at every 60 metres and emergency exit tunnels at every 500 metres inside the tunnel. The tunnel will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 kilometres and four hours can be saved," said KP Purushothaman.

Fire hydrants have also been installed inside the tunnel in case of any fire incident.

"The induction and de-induction of resources was a difficult task while it was under construction. We did face a lot of challenges but together we were able to complete its construction. The tunnel's width is 10.5 metres, including footpath of 1 metre on both sides," said KP Purushothaman.

Speaking to ANI, Colonel Parikshit Mehra, Director, Atal Tunnel project said that many experts working within the team were of the opinion to change the alignment of the tunnel.

"We have had this dream to connect Leh and this was the first step to the connectivity ladder. This tunnel was a challenging project because we were working only from two ends. The other end was in North, across the Rohtang Pas which was accessible only for around five months in a year," he added.&nbsp;

The construction of the Atal Tunnel connecting Manali with Leh, which is the world's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet, has been completed in a span of 10 years whereas the original estimated time was less than six years.

The construction of the Atal Tunnel connecting Manali with Leh, which is the world's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet, has been completed in a span of 10 years whereas the original estimated time was less than six years. "Atal Tunnel, connecting Manali to Leh, is the world''s longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet. The estimated period for completion of this tunnel was less than 6 years but it was completed in 10 years," said KP Purushothaman, Chief Engineer. "There are CCTV cameras at every 60 metres and emergency exit tunnels at every 500 metres inside the tunnel. The tunnel will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 kilometres and four hours can be saved," said KP Purushothaman. Fire hydrants have also been installed inside the tunnel in case of any fire incident. "The induction and de-induction of resources was a difficult task while it was under construction. We did face a lot of challenges but together we were able to complete its construction. The tunnel's width is 10.5 metres, including footpath of 1 metre on both sides," said KP Purushothaman. Speaking to ANI, Colonel Parikshit Mehra, Director, Atal Tunnel project said that many experts working within the team were of the opinion to change the alignment of the tunnel. "We have had this dream to connect Leh and this was the first step to the connectivity ladder. This tunnel was a challenging project because we were working only from two ends. The other end was in North, across the Rohtang Pas which was accessible only for around five months in a year," he added.

World's longest highway tunnel connecting Manali with Leh ready after 10 years

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India weather update: Cold wave grips north, rainfall expected in south

India weather update: Cold wave grips north, rainfall expected in south

Indian PM inaugurates Atal Tunnel | Designed for traffic density of 3000 cars, 1500 trucks

PM Modi inaugurates Atal Tunnel, attacks Congress

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World's longest highway tunnel connecting Manali with Leh ready after 10 years