[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

The tunnel itself is only 8.9 Kms long (not 44km),

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Ah ok. I was not aware of this.
I went by the Wiki article which quotes it at ~44KM

The main tunnel has a few service tunnels for maintenance and safety (Eg: evacuation) purposes. Adding the length of these service tunnels probably adds to 44 km. Eg: this pic "looks" like that of a service tunnel

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Ah ok. I was not aware of this.
I went by the Wiki article which quotes it at ~44KM
Attachment 2056267

Initial length declared by BRO was 8.9 kms., but was later corrected to 9.02 kms.

44 kms., is due to four lanes (2+2) with interconnecting lanes /service tunnels for safety. (9x4 = 36) + 8 = 44.

[VRJ]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

Atal Tunnel drivethrough video:

Imagine driving behind a 30 kmph slow-moving truck for 8.9 kms . Im not sure if overtaking is allowed as it’s a two lane road with incoming traffic coming at you. I’ve read that there are a lot of cameras in there, BRO should penalise people for rash driving and over speeding inside the tunnel as responding and clearing a crash inside a tunnel is harder than regular roads. Someday, I wish to take a car with a growly exhaust note that cracks and pops through this tunnel, 8.9 kms of pure bliss

On a serious note, wonderful job by BRO and the government. We need more of such tunnels and infrastructure built in the borders not only to connect remote places to mainstream places, but also for national security. With China playing dirty, infrastructure is key to respond quickly. Jai Hind!

[bejoy]

The "SWITCH ON RADIO" sign indicates that the tunnel is equipped with a broadcasting system that enables the road users to listen to safety instructions in case of emergency or other announcements through the radio in the car/mobile phones.

RADIO BREAK-IN SYSTEMS
A tunnel is an enclosed structure that usually does not permit the natural transmission of radio waves to travel very far into the tunnel. Since vehicle radios are a useful means of allowing tunnel operators to broadcast emergency messages to tunnel users, we must therefore provide a means to propagate radio signals through the tunnel.

This re-broadcast of radio stations is provided through the radio re-broadcast system using transmission equipment and a coaxial cable running through the tunnel. The coaxial cable leaks radio waves and is referred to as the “leaky feeder”.

The radio system is primarily used to allow emergency services to use their radios in the tunnel. It is also possible to install specific equipment that allows the retransmission of the required local and national radio frequencies into the tunnel.

To be able to broadcast emergency messages to vehicles on the radio frequencies, operators must interrupt the normal broadcast of radio stations, break into the frequencies and broadcast their own emergency message. This is called Voice Break-In, VBI.

When needed during incidents, radio broadcasts are interrupted and safety messages are broadcast to tunnel users by the operator. These messages may be pre-recorded or live broadcasts. Text messages may also be transmitted to users’ radios using the Radio Data System.

Source:
https://tunnelsmanual.piarc.org/en/e...-break-systems

[Sutripta]

Hope the existing pass road will continue to be maintained.

Sutripta

[Turbanator]

An observation, maybe some guys with knowledge can comment. Shouldn't there be some water drainage pipes? I have seen water seeping in many tunnels, even in Europe. And here also, we can see some water on the road already. Or am I missing something completely?

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Hope the existing pass road will continue to be maintained.

Sutripta

These roads are maintained by Border Roads Organization (BRO), which is directly under the Government and headed by an Army officer.
BRO maintains and builds roads all along the Indian border and roads leading to strategic points which are vital for supply of man and material in case of any war or unpleasant situation. They also build roads in friendly neighboring countries.
BRO maintains operations in twenty-one states, two UT (Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Ladakh), and neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

The existing road /tunnel is part of the strategic all weather road to Leh, to facilitate the quick movement of man and material towards Leh and beyond, and hence will always be maintained. Civilian and tourism comes secondary.
For more details of the roads, please see post no.12 in the same thread.

BRO's logo

Vision

Nation's most reputed, multifaceted, transnational, modern construction Organisation committed to meeting the strategic needs of the armed forces with enlightened leadership, a strong, skilled and committed work force, a well ingrained value system and a strong environment conscience. Playing a national role in socio economic development through its large scale contribution to infrastructure development.

Mission

To support the armed forces meet their strategic needs by committed, dedicated and cost effective development and sustenance of the infrastructure.

To achieve international levels of quality excellence and time consciousness in a diversified sphere of construction activity in a cost effective manner.

Optimise potential and expertise through increased involvement in agency, transnational and national development projects.

To attain leadership in development, adoption, assimilation and use of state of the art technology.

To create the environment for accurate, real time and effective decision making through optimising use of information technology.

Through a focus on core competencies; ensure highest level of skill and proficiency in construction activity.

To sustain a sense of values in the Organisation that will ensure a high level of self esteem in each individual and immeasurable synergy in the Organisation

To help enrich the quality of life of the community and ensure all round growth.

Role of the BRO

In Peace

Develop & Maintain the Operational Road Infrastructure of General Staff in the Border Areas.

Contribute to the Socio-Economic Development of the Border States.

In War

To Develop & Maintain Roads to Keep Line of Control through in Original Sectors and Re-Deployed Sectors.

To Execute Addl Tasks as laid down by the Govt Contributing to the War effort.

Website of BRO: http://www.bro.gov.in

[AtheK]

Great work by BRO as always, the scenes when they enter the tunnel in the video are so mesmerizing.

The biker in me is thinking how awesome it would be to rev(not speed) a little bit, a 4 cylinder bike with an akra exhaust installed, inside the tunnel, the sound would be ecstatic.

[batladanny]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

On a related note, do members feel such tunnels will reduce the charm of the Manali-Leh road trip? Rohtang after all was not just a landmark but a major challenge. It tested your skills as well as your patience. Now, any novice can zip through in 45minutes.

Not really. It makes things much faster and safer for the local population and frequent travelers while also making the Rohtang pass less crowded and more pleasant for the wanderlusters.

[adv.yzr]

Greetings,

Great work by BRO and all the stakeholders involved that led to this project. I feel people who will drive on this route for the first time will find it extremely convenient since it reduces travel time by almost 4-5 hours but the people who have been previously driven on the Manali-Leh route will find this a bit dull in the sense it takes the fun out of driving on the said route.

Nevertheless, it will be of great help for the armed/paramilitary forces and I feel the tourist influx will increase many folds in months or years to come.

Thanks.

[maverick.munish]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

20 years for ~44 KM tunnel

So the files moved through the red tape at 2.2 KM per year (compare to 30KM road construction per day as per 2018-19 statistics)
Hail bureaucracy !?

Dear Friend

You need to visit the region to understand the gravity of the construction done and why it took so long for the BRO to win this battle against the torrid Himalayas.
Had it been any private contractor, it would have taken 40 years for them to make the ends meet.
This is the harshest weather conditions anywhere in India and there were multiple challenges the team at BRO faced to reach this milestone.
Would suggest you read about their handicaps and how they overcame them.

Jai Hind to the BRO !!!!

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by maverick.munish

Dear Friend

You need to visit the region to understand the gravity of the construction done and why it took so long for the BRO to win this battle against the torrid Himalayas.
Had it been any private contractor, it would have taken 40 years for them to make the ends meet.
This is the harshest weather conditions anywhere in India and there were multiple challenges the team at BRO faced to reach this milestone.
Would suggest you read about their handicaps and how they overcame them.

Jai Hind to the BRO

+1.
Absolutely agree.

Some insights.

1. Excavation for tunnelling was done from both ends. However, as Rohtang pass closes during the winter, the north portal was not accessible during winter and the excavation was being done only from the south portal in winters.

2. The construction teams faced fast flowing water from Seri Nullah, which flowed on top of the tunnel route and impeded construction efforts. The sheer volume of water prevented construction for several months while project engineers grappled with a way to tackle the problem. The rock structures faced by the engineers too caused impediments.

3. The south portal of the tunnel had schist, migmatites and phyllite rocks while the north portal had incoherently folded gneiss and biotite schist which were brittle and ductile in nature.

4. There were more than 46 avalanche sites on approaches to the tunnel.

5. Other challenges to the progress of the tunnel included difficulties in disposing more than 800,000 m³ of excavated rock and soil, heavy ingress of water (as much as 3 million litres per day in June 2012) that required constant dewatering, costlier treatment and slowed the progress of excavation from 5-metre per day to just half a metre a day and unstable rocks that slowed blasting and digging.

6. A cloud-burst and flash flood on 8 August 2003 killed 42 labourers who were building the temporary access road.

7. Working at such altitudes, many workers had health problems.

8. 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.

Besides all this the weather, lack of facilities, poor telecommunications, all contributed to the delays.

Source: Various.

[maverick.munish]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Wow! Underground river! That sounds very interesting as well as obviously challenging.
If you have any details about this river, please do share.

You can read more about this on Google -- Search for Seri Nullah and how it impacted the construction of the Atal Tunnel.

[JediKnight]

What about the environmental impact of this tunnel. Will this cause excessive traffic and consequent poisoning of the Himalayan eco-system? Earlier winter and the harsh terrain served as natural limiter to how many people could make to the interiors. Now with easy all year round access, it would enable hordes of casual tourists in their raised hatch backs littering the whole place.

[prkiran]

Have a question to those who have driven on tunnels like this. There seem to be a bridge right at one end of the tunnel with a sharp curve as well. Is there a chance this could result in trouble, especially with drivers adjusting their vision to the sudden sunlight outside?