Atal Tunnel, Rohtang: Engineering Challenges (E)
Making a nine-kilometre long tunnel through the fragile Pir Panjal range high in the Himalayas posed several engineering challenges for the engineers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). A team of over 1000 engineers assisted by experts from overseas made this engineering marvel. A tunnel is just not about civil engineering, which obviously is one of the biggest challenges, but there are a lot of electrical structures, ventilation systems, all kinds of sensors for pollution monitoring, fire detection and temperature that need to be monitored inside the long horseshoe-shaped tunnel. The concrete used in the tunnel is of special grade. The engineers of BRO say the tunnel has been designed so that earthquakes will not affect it. The team of engineers has made India proud by finishing the Atal Tunnel. There are 148 cameras that monitor the tunnel day and night as today the tunnel is a lifeline for strategic reasons.
