| 28 June 2010 | | | | hopes that the project will be completed on time. |
| | | | | She said that she knows that people of Rohtang |
| Kullu(Himachal Pradesh), 28 June 2010:Congress | | | | have been facing transportation and |
| President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on | | | | communication difficulties and the construction of |
| Monday laid the foundation stone for the Rohtang | | | | this tunnel will be very helpful in breaking the |
| tunnel project.8.8 km long engineering marvel, this | | | | barriers. |
| tunnel goes through the Himalayan ranges in Manali | | | | "A little while ago, I laid the foundation stone for |
| that would facilitate an alternative all-weather road | | | | the Rohtang tunnel. It is both a happy and a |
| route to strategically important areas of Ladakh | | | | historic occasion. With this, the dream of former |
| and also provide a year-long connectivity to the | | | | Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi has become true," Ms. |
| Lahaul-Spiti valley of the state. | | | | Gandhi said at a public meeting here, about 15 km |
| | | | | south of the Rohtang tunnel's south portal. |
| A multi-faith prayer meeting was organised | | | | Laying stress on the need to be in harmony with |
| before Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the excavation | | | | ecology of the region she said "Expanding roads, |
| work of the prestigious project. | | | | constructing tunnels and building bridges are |
| Priests from Hindu, Muslim, Christianity and | | | | important, but the BRO should ensure that these |
| Buddhist sects prayed for the accomplishment. | | | | activities do not damage the ecology of these |
| Sonia Gandhi initiated the construction process by | | | | regions." |
| pressing the remote button and soon the machine | | | | |
| began the digging work. She also lifted the curtain | | | | |
| from a black granite tablet on which the inscription | | | | |
| reads: "Foundation stone of Rohtang Tunnel laid by | | | | The Rohtang tunnel will provide all-weather |
| National Advisory Council Chairperson Sonia Gandhi | | | | connectivity to the tribal areas of Lahaul-Spiti, |
| on June 28, 2010." | | | | which gets cut off from the Manali side during |
| | | | | winter months due to heavy snow on the 13,050 |
| Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Himachal | | | | Fet high Rohtang Pass. The single-tube double lane |
| Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal were | | | | will reduce the distance of the Manali-Leh highway |
| also present at the occasion. Laying of the | | | | by about 46 Kilometres. Mr A.K. Anthony, the |
| foundation stone of the tunnel ,was also a | | | | Union Defence Minister assured the nation that the |
| realisation of the dream that Former Prime | | | | tunnel will be ready by the year 2015. He also said |
| Minister Rajiv Gandhi saw 26 years before. | | | | that the tunnel will be strategically important for |
| After laying the foundation stone , Sonia Gandhi | | | | the Indian Army in the border areas of |
| addressed a rally in Solang valley where she | | | | Leh-Ladakh. The tunnel will help the people of |
| expressed her happiness on the initiation of the | | | | Lahaul valley to transport their agricultural produce |
| project and said that she has full confidence on | | | | to other parts of the country and thus boost |
| the architects of the this challenging project and | | | | economic development. |