BRO expedites Manali-Srinagar highway via Atal Tunnel

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has fast tracked the Manali-Srinagar highway via Atal Tunnel construction. It is expected to be completed by next year. The project involves double-laning of the old Tandi-Kishtwar state highway that provides a shorter road axis between Himachal and J&K. The Manali-Srinagar Road via Atal Tunnel and Kishtwar is nearly 150-km shorter than the traditional Manali-Jammu-Srinagar Road, which is 650-km. Given its strategic importance and tough terrain, the Tandi-Kishtwar road was taken over by BRO.

The road, which has gained notoriety of being the worst and dangerous road in Himachal, is used rarely by people. The BRO had undertaken the task to cut the mountains to widen the road and make it as smooth as other highways.

BRO is also building three bridges on the highway. According to the 38 Border Road Task Force (38 BRTF) commander Col Shabarish Vachali, 94 Road Construction Company (94 RCC) stationed there has been tasked to make the road smoother from Tandi near Keylong to Sansari before Kishtwar. At certain places, BRO is cutting 90-degree vertical mountain faces to complete the assigned task of highway building. The valley extends from Chenab River up to high altitude glacial peaks. While 94 RCC of BRO is looking after the road up to Sansari in Himachal, the remaining section beyond Sansari in J&K is being looked after by 118 RCC of 35 BRTF.