Chandigarh, September 12:- Travelling from Punjab to the Himachal Pradesh tourist destination of Manali has become easier. Two new tunnels, Diodh and Hanogi, constructed on the Pandoh-Takoli section between Mandi and Kullu on the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway, have been opened for regular vehicular traffic from today.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari shared the information on his social media account and said that the opening of these tunnels has significantly improved connectivity on National Highway-03 in Himachal Pradesh. Their opening will provide major relief to millions of tourists travelling to Manali from Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi and across the country from serious problems of traffic congestion and landslides.
Mandi-Kullu Journey to be Completed in 1 Hour
With the opening of these two tunnels, the travel time between Mandi and Kullu, which earlier took 2 hours, has now been reduced to just 1 hour. The National Highways Authority of India has opened the tunnels just ahead of the upcoming winter tourist season and Kullu Dussehra. The 2.8-kilometre-long Diodh Tunnel and the 650-metre-long Hanogi Tunnel are connected by a 140-metre-long and 45-metre-high bridge constructed near Khotinalla.
With these tunnels becoming operational, the earlier 6-kilometre affected stretch will now be reduced to just 3.5 kilometres. This will completely relieve travellers from the hours-long traffic jams near Jogni Mata Temple, Diodh and Hanogi.
Relief from a 5.5-Kilometre Hazardous Stretch
With the use of these new tunnels, vehicles will now be able to bypass an approximately 5.5-kilometre-long stretch where, during rainy days, falling stones and debris from the mountains often posed a risk of accidents. The removal of the narrow and winding road will also reduce traffic pressure on the main route.
This improvement will be highly significant not only for those travelling to Manali, but also for passengers and goods vehicles travelling towards remote tourist destinations such as the Atal Tunnel, Rohtang Pass, Manikaran, Shinkula Pass, Keylong and Leh-Ladakh. The tunnels have been equipped with modern safety arrangements, including CCTV cameras, ventilation systems and emergency exits.