After much delay, work is likely to finally start on the Rs 1,458 crore Rohtang tunnel project on June 28.
The tunnel will connect landlocked Leh in Jammu & Kashmir by an all-weather road from Manali in Himachal Pradesh.
The traffic tunnel will be built below the snow covered 13,050 ft high Rohtang pass and reduce the distance between the Kullu and Lahaul valleys by 48 km.The project is expected to be completed by 2015.
The Rohtang pass remains closed for traffic for almost half the year due to heavy snowfall over the pass.
Union Defence Minister A K Antony confirmed to the state government that the foundation stone would be laid by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had laid the foundation stone almost nine years ago but work wasn’t able to start on the project. Sonia Gandhi will now lay a foundation stone again.
Afcons Infrastructure in collbaoration with Strabag as the building contractor will build the ambitious project.
