Rohtang Tunnel

Coordinates: 32°23′54″N 77°08′51″E

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rohtang Tunnel is a tunnel being built[1] under the Rohtang Pass in the
eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway.
Rohtang Tunnel
With 8.8 km (5.5 mi) length, the tunnel will be one of the longest road Overview
tunnel in India (the longest road tunnel in India is the Chenani-Nashri Location Himachal Pradesh,
Tunnel or Patnitop tunnel north of Udhampur) and is expected to reduce India
the distance between Manali and Keylong by about 60 km (37.3 mi)[2]
The tunnel is at 3,100 metres (10,171 ft) elevation whereas the Rohtang Coordinates 32°23′54″N
pass is at 3,978 metres (13,051 ft) elevation 51 km (32 mi) away from 77°08′51″E
Manali. The pass receives heavy snowfall and blizzards during winter Route Leh-Manali Highway
months and is open for road traffic for only four months in a year. Lying
Operation
on the Manali-Leh axis, this is one of the two routes to Ladakh. The
other route through the Zoji La pass on the Srinagar-Drass-Kargil-Leh Work begun 28 June 2010
highway also gets blocked by snow for nearly four months in a year. Operator Border Roads
These two routes are vital to feed military supplies into the sub-sector
Organisation
west (facing Aksai Chin) and the Siachen Glacier.
Traffic Motor vehicles
First time the Moravian Mission in 1860 has talked about the possibility Technical
of a tunnel through Rohtang Pass to reach Lahaul and later Pandit
Nehru talked about a rope way to Rohtang Pass which again made a Length 8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi)
point of discussion among the local tribes. After almost 139 years of the No. of lanes Two (one in each
first instance, when a childhood friend of a Lahaul resident Mr. Arjun direction)
Gopal became Prime Minister of India as Shri Atal Bihari Bajpai, the
Operating 80 km/h (50 mph)
locals insisted Arjun Gopal to meet the Prime Minister and talk about
Rohtang Tunnel. Then he moves with two of his companions Chhering speed
Dorje and Abhay Chand to Delhi and after continuous discussions of Width 10 metres (33 ft)
about one year, finally Prime Minister Atal Bihari Bajpai agreed
and visited headquarter of Lahaul in year 2000 June and declared
the construction of Rohtang Tunnel.

Contents
1 Location
2 Status of progress of the project
2.1 Expected completion
3 Challenges Public notices of the Project Rohtang Tunnel at
4 Specifications Solang Valley, Palchan - Dhundi road.
5 Safety measures
6 Trivia
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

Location
Rohtang tunnel is not exactly under Rohtang pass; it is slightly west of the pass. The southern end (portal) of
the tunnel is reached by turning left at Palchan, 10 km north of Manali on the way to Rohtang pass or about
40 km before Rohtang pass. After crossing Solang village, Dhundi is reached after 10 km. The south end of the
tunnel is just north of Dhundi across the [[Bhaga River]Tributary of Chenab River]] at 32.3642° North and
77.1330° East coordinates.

The northern end of the tunnel meets the existing Manali-Leh highway near Teling village at 32.4388° North
and 77.1642° East coordinates about 10 km west of Gramphu which is the first village after Rohtang Pass on
the existing highway.

Rohtang tunnel was planned for ensuring an all-weather road route to strategically important areas of Ladakh
and providing round-the-year connectivity to the remote Lahaul-Spiti valley. However, the construction of
Rohtang tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity only to the Lahaul Valley of Himachal Pradesh up to
Kyelang (Keylong). The all-weather road to Ladakh will require more tunnels: either at Shikunla, or at the
passes located on the present Leh-Manali road for a year-round road connectivity to Ladakh.

The project was conceived in 1983[3] and announced by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 3 June 2000.
The project was estimated to cost Indian rupee ₹ 5 billion and be completed in seven years.[4] On 6 May 2002,
the Border Roads Organization was entrusted with the construction of the tunnel,[5] and on 23 May 2002, the
work was inaugurated by Mr. Vajpayee.[6] However the project did not take of, later the UPA government under
Manmohan Singh took up the project and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in her capacity as the National
Advisory Council chief, declared open the tunnel drilling at South Portal, 30 km north of Manali, in the
presence of Defence Minister A K Antony, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal and Union Steel
Minister Virbhadra Singh[7] The cost of the project was revised to ₹13.35 billion, with an expected completion
by 2010.[8]

However the work did not progress much, with the project not moving beyond the tree-felling stage by May
2003.[9] By December 2004, the project cost estimate had escalated to ₹17 billion[10] In May 2007, the contract
was awarded to SMEC (Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation) International Private Limited, an
Australian company, and the completion date was revised to 2014.[11] Despite multiple announcements that the
work on the tunnel would begin in 2008,[12] no progress had been made by November 2009.[13]

The work was awarded to a joint venture of AFCONS Infrastructure Limited, an Indian construction company
of Shapoorji Pallonji Group, and STRABAG AG, Austria in September 2009[14] after the Cabinet Committee
on Security cleared the Rohtang Tunnel Project.[15] The drilling of the Rohtang Tunnel through the Himalayan
ranges began on 28 June 2010 at South Portal 30 km (19 mi) north of Manali.

Status of progress of the project

Total length of tunnel is 8.8 km

June 28 2010, foundation stone laid by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi.[16]
As of January 2012, 2.5 km of the tunnel digging had been completed.[17]
As of June 2012, 3.5 km of the tunnel digging had been completed.[18]
Only a little progress was made in the next one year due to heavy ingress of water that required constant
dewatering and slowed the digging and blasting to a crawl.
As of October 2013, a little more than 4 km of the tunnel had been dug. However, about 30 m portion of
the roof the tunnel collapsed towards the north portal on 17 October 2013 and the digging had to be
stopped.[19]
As of September 2014, 4.4 km of the tunnel, i.e., half of 8.8 km planned length had been dug [20][21]
As of December 2016, 7.6 km of the tunnel digging had been completed. Excavation was expected to be
completed in 2017, with opening in the second half of 2019.[22][23]
As of May 4th, 2017, 7.92 km of the tunnel digging had been completed and breakthrough was expected
by Sept/Oct 2017.[24]
As of Sep 3rd, 2017, 276 meters of the tunnel digging work is remaining.[25] Tunnel to be opened for
emergency services like Ambulance to be opened by winters.[26]
 As of Sep 18th, 2017, 170 meters of the tunnel digging work is remaining and breakthrough is expected
by October end.[27]

Expected completion

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), a tri-service Defence Ministry agency specialising in road and bridge
construction in difficult terrains, had initially estimated that the tunnel would be ready for vehicle flow by
2015. The tunnel is now expected to be completed before 2019. [28]

Challenges
The most challenging task is to continue the excavation during heavy snowfall in winter. Excavation for
tunnelling is being done from both ends. However, as Rohtang pass closes during the winter, the north portal is
not accessible during winter and the excavation is being done only from the south portal. Only about one-fourth
of the entire tunnel will be excavated from the north end and three-fourths will be excavated from the south
end. There are more than 46 avalanche sites on approaches to the tunnel.[29]

Other challenges to the progress of the tunnel include difficulties in disposing more than 800,000 m³ of
excavated rock and soil[30] and heavy ingress of water (as much as 3 million litres per day in June 2012)[31]
from unstable rocks that slows the blasting and digging, requires constant 24x7 dewatering and costlier
treatment and slowed the progress of excavation from 5 metre per day to just half a metre a day.[32] A cloud-
burst and flash flood on 8 August 2003 killed 42 labourers who were building the temporary access road.[33]
Questions were also raised on the impact of cutting down more than 700 trees on the ecology.[34]

Specifications
The tunnel is intended to create an all-weather route to Leh and Lahaul and Spiti valleys in Himachal Pradesh.
A feasibility study for the construction of a tunnel across Rohtang Pass was conducted by RITES.

Salient features of the proposed Rohtang Tunnel are as follows:

Length of Tunnel: 8.8 km (5.5 mi)

South portal coordinates: 32°21′49″N 77°08′00″E
North portal coordinates: 32°26′21″N 77°09′51″E
Shape (cross-section) of Tunnel: Horseshoe
Finished width: 10.00 m (32.8 ft) at road level. (8m pavement and 1m footpath on both sides)
General altitude of the tunnel: 3,000–3,100 m or 9,840–10,170 ft
Designated vehicular speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)
Geology of tunnelling media: Uniformly dipping alternate sequence of quartzites, quartzitic
schists, quartz-diolite-schist with thin bands.
Tunnel boring machines will not be used because of the inability to see inside the mountain,
instead blasting and digging will be used to build the tunnel.[35]
Temperature variation in the area: 25–30 °C (77–86 °F) during May–June, −30 to −20 °C (−22 to
−4 °F) during Dec–Jan.
Overburden: Maximum 1,900 metres (6,230 ft), average more than 600 m (1,970 ft)
Construction technique proposed: Drill & Blast with NATM
Support system proposed: Fibre-reinforced concrete (100–300mm or 0–10 inch thick) combined
with rock bolt (26.50mm dia, 5,000–9,000mm or 200–350 inch long) has been proposed as the
principal support system. In areas of poor rock condition, yieldable steel ribs (ISMB 150/ISMB
300) have been proposed in addition.
Tunnel ventilation: Semi-transverse system of ventilation has been proposed.
A 2.25 m high and 3.6 m wide emergency tunnel will be integrated in the tunnel cross-section
beneath the main carriageway.

The following parameters have been set in design:

 (a) Upper tolerance limit for concentration – 150ppm
(b) Visibility factor – 0.009/m
(c) Vehicles

(i) Cars – 3000 Nos.

(ii Trucks – 1500 Nos.

(d) Peak hour traffic – 337.50 PCUs

(e) Design vehicular speed in Tunnel

(i) Maximum Speed – 80 km/h (50 mph)

(ii) Minimum Speed – 30 km/h (19 mph)

Project Cost : Approximately Rs.(INR)17 billion (Euro 250 million)[36]

Safety measures
A 2.25 m high and 3.6 m wide emergency tunnel will be integrated in the tunnel cross-section beneath the main
carriageway for evacuation during emergencies.

The latest Austrian tunnelling method and ventilation system — semi transverse type considered as safest —
will be adopted for this project. Heavy snowfall in the Rohtang Pass area is a major concern, especially on the
approach roads to the main tunnel. To prevent any damage to the roads and to ensure the safety of the roads and
tunnel users alike, avalanche control structures are being constructed. The design for these structures is being
provided by the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment of DRDO.

As the Rohtang tunnel will witness heavy traffic, vehicular management and checking pollution is a priority.
For this, CCTV cameras would be placed at a regular distance and will be further connected to two monitoring
rooms on both ends of the tunnel. Sensors to check the pollution level will keep on updating the data and if the
record is above the desired level, then quantity of fresh air injected inside the tunnel would be increased.
Pollution level will be controlled within 90 seconds adding that two heavy duty fans each on both openings of
the tunnel will be installed to inject fresh air inside.

The tunnel will have semi-transverse ventilation system, where large fans would separately circulate air
throughout the tunnel length. Another safety feature being added is that fire inside the tunnel will be controlled
within an area of 200 metres and fire hydrants will be provided on specific locations.

The tunnel will also have public announcement system to make important announcement in emergency
situations for which loudspeakers will be installed at regular distances.

Trivia
When completed, the 8.8 km (5.5 mi) long tunnel is also set to become the world longest tunnel at an
altitude above 3,000 m or 10,000 ft.[37] The nearest in comparison to the Rohtang Tunnel would be the
Anzob Tunnel in Tajikistan (length 5 km (3.1 mi), altitude 3,372 metres (11,063 ft)), Khojak Rail tunnel
near Quetta in Pakistan (length 3.9 km, altitude 3,912m), Salang Tunnel in the Hindu Kush mountains in
Afghanistan (length 2.6 km, altitude 3,400m) and the Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel in the
United States (length 2.73 km (1.7 mi), altitude 3,401 m (11,158 ft)).
There were proposals of installing a Neutrino detector in the tunnel by Panjab University and Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research[38]
The 85 km distance from Manali to Keylong on the other side of Rohtang Pass is usually covered by
vehicles in about five to six hours, without counting the long hours of traffic jams on the hilly route. The
same distance would now be covered in less than half-an-hour through the tunnel and without traffic
snarls. Keylong would be just 25 km from the North Portal of the tunnel.
See also
Chenani-Nashri Road Tunnel on NH 1A from Jammu to Srinagar in J&K, India's longest road tunnel
Zoji-la Tunnel
Z-Morh Tunnel

References
1. Polgreen, Lydia "Digs Under Top of the World (https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/world/asia/01pass.
html?ref=India)". New York Times
2. "Importance of Rohtang Tunnel for Lahaul & Pangi resident" (http://www.thenewshimachal.com/2011/0
3/importance-of-rohtang-tunnel-for-lahaul-pangi-residence/). The News Himachal. Retrieved
2012-07-29.
3. "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News" (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120709/main6.ht
m). Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
4. "PM reiterates desire for peace with Pak" (http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/jun/07jk.htm). Rediff.com.
7 June 2000. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
5. "Border Roads to construct Rohtang Tunnel" (http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2002/rmay2002/06052
002/r0605200219.html). Pib.nic.in. 6 May 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
6. "BRO : Heroes in Highlands" (http://mod.nic.in/samachar/may16-04/body_May16-31.html). Mod.nic.in.
Retrieved 12 January 2012.
7. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in her capacity as the National Advisory Council chief, declared open
the tunnel drilling at South Portal, 30 km north of Manali, in the presence of Defence Minister A K
Antony, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal and Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh
8. "Prime Minister's Jammu & Kashmir package for employment, development, relief and security" (http://
pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2002/rmay2002/23052002/r2305200210.html). Pib.nic.in. Retrieved
12 January 2012.
9. "Of promises new and old" (http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2010/stories/20030523003902800.htm).
Hinduonnet.com. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
10. "Construction of Rohtang Tunnel" (http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page1.asp?relid=5296). Pib.nic.in. 2
December 2004. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
11. "Work on country's longest road tunnel to begin next year" (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/05/04/stori
es/2007050409720300.htm). Hinduonnet.com. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
12. "Rohtang tunnel work to go full steam this year" (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rohtang-tunnel-wo
rk-to-go-full-steam-this-year/289804/). The Indian Express. India. 29 March 2008. Retrieved 12 January
2012.
13. "Rohtang tunnel work likely to start next month" (http://www.headlinesindia.com/state-news/himachal-pr
adesh/rohtang-tunnel-work-likely-to-start-next-month-17060.html). Headlinesindia.com. 16 July 2009.
Retrieved 12 January 2012.
14. "Afcons Infrastructure : Partners" (http://www.afcons.com/partners.html). Afcons.com. Retrieved
12 January 2012.
15. "Work on Rohtang tunnel to begin next year" (http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=31421).
Pib.nic.in. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
16. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/engineering-marvel-india-s-highest-tunnel-to-see-light-of-
day-in-october/story-aVRU5NtXtMdYbFwHyajjxI.html
17. "Working 24X7 to see light at the end of Rohtang" (http://newindianexpress.com/nation/article332075.ec
e). The New Indian Express. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
18. "Rivulet gushes out during Rohtang tunnel digging" (http://dailypioneer.com/nation/70678-rivulet-gushes
-out-during-rohtang-tunnel-digging.html). dailypioneer.com. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
19. "Part of Rohtang Tunnel Collapses" (http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/part-of-rohtang-tunnel-collapses-
work-halted-434316). NDTV.com. 19 October 2013.
20. http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=109874
21. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/Rohtang-tunnel-may-not-be-ready-before-
2019/articleshow/48675331.cms
22. http://hillpost.in/2017/01/rohtang-tunnel-records-best-yearly-progress-in-2016/107884/
 23. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/Defence-ministry-checks-Rohtang-Tunnel-
progress/articleshow/55426709.cms
24. http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/work-on-rohtang-tunnel-s-north-portal-set-to-
begin/402316.html
25. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/defence-ministry-official-visits-rohtang-
tunnel/articleshow/60343656.cms?
26. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/medical-transit-via-rohtang-tunnel-this-
winter/articleshow/60268821.cms
27. http://www.amarujala.com/shimla/himachal-lahaul-rohtang-tunnel-to-be-open-for-public-soon
28. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rohtang-tunnel-to-be-ready-well-within-
2019/article17328930.ece
29. "8.8-km tunnel to make Leh accessible in all seasons" (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-0
1-02/india/27873958_1_manali-km-long-tunnel-lahaul-valley). The Times Of India. 2 January 2007.
30. GSI: No one seems to rock with them (http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=59195)
31. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120709/main6.htm
32. "Water ingress, loose rocks delay boring of Rohtang tunnel - The Times of India" (http://articles.timesofi
ndia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-19/india/35204208_1_rohtang-tunnel-longest-tunnel-ingress). The Times
Of India.
33. "60 washed away in Kulu flash floods" (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030809/main1.htm). The
Tribune. India. 9 August 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
34. "Rohtang tunnel to affect area ecology, warn experts" (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030811/mai
n5.htm). The Tribune. India. 11 August 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
35. Polgreen, Lydia (31 July 2010). "India Digs Under Top of the World to Match Rival" (https://www.nytim
es.com/2010/08/01/world/asia/01pass.html?_r=1&ref=global-home&pagewanted=all). The New York
Times. Rohtang Pass (India);India;Tibet;Himalayas;China. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
36. "Border Roads Organisation" (http://www.bro.nic.in/indexmain.asp?projectid=29&lang=1). Bro.nic.in.
Retrieved 2012-07-29.
37. "Rohtang tunnel: Sonia launches Rajiv's dream project" (http://www.zeenews.com/news637074.html).
Zeenews.com. 28 June 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
38. PU plans sub-atomic detector in Rohtang (http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=86231).

External links
BRO's Rohtang Tunnel pages
2011 news report – at around 1'10" the footage gives a good idea of the planned portal
Video of Sonia Gandhi laying tunnel's foundation stone

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rohtang_Tunnel&oldid=801216587"

This page was last edited on 18 September 2017, at 11:30.

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may
apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered
trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.