Atal Tunnel Gets ‘Best Infrastructure Project’ Award

On April 28, 2022, the (BRO) Border Roads Organisation Engineering Marvel Atal Tunnel in Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh, received the (IBC) Indian Building Congress ‘Best Infrastructure Project’ award in the state of New Delhi.

More than 30 smart infrastructures were nominated for this prestigious award, and the strategic tunnel received the Best Projects for Excellence in the Built Environment in the year 2021 by the IBC Jury. Lt General Rajeev Chaudhry, Director General BRO, also got the prize during the IBC’s 25th annual Convention for BRO’s great performance in placing this engineering marvel connecting Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti Valley.

Speaking on this particular occasion, Lt General Chaudhry stated that the tunnel, offering the armed forces a strategic advantage by giving an alternate link to the critical Ladakh sector, has been a blessing for the residents of Spiti and Lahaul district in Himachal Pradesh.

The area has seen an unprecedented enhancement in tourist footfalls, and the valley and state have got exponential growth in the socio-economic sphere in less than a year, he added.

ABOUT ATAL TUNNEL- The tunnel which was built using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), was dedicated to the country by PM Narendra Modi on October 3, 2020.

This tunnel is equipped with semi-transverse ventilation, where huge fans circulate air throughout the tunnel. For the purpose of evacuation while emergencies, an emergency tunnel has also been integrated into the tunnel cross-section beneath the carriageway.

Fires inside this will be controlled within an area of 200 meters, and hydrants are given at specific locations in the tunnel.

Pollution sensors constantly observe the air quality in this tunnel, and if the air quality is below the neutral level, fresh air is injected via 2 heavy-duty fans on each side of the tunnel.

I think it is a masterpiece made by them.