President Droupadi Murmu is on a visit to Himachal Pradesh starting Tuesday. Today, she will attend the first convocation ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bilaspur.
Subsequently, the President visited the Atal Tunnel in the Rohtang area of Lahaul-Spiti district. She became the second President of the country to visit the Atal Tunnel; the former President had previously visited the site in June 2022.
The 9.02-kilometer-long Atal Tunnel is a significant engineering feat; constructed in extremely challenging terrain along the Manali-Leh Highway, it passes beneath the Rohtang Pass. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Atal Tunnel in Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh, on October 3, 2020.
Prior to the construction of this tunnel, the highway remained closed for six months during the winter season, cutting off Lahaul and Spiti from the mainland.
The construction of the Atal Tunnel has reduced the distance on the Manali-Sarchu road by 46 km and cut travel time by four to five hours, thereby making the Manali-Leh Highway accessible in all weather conditions.
