Watch: First Indian Army Convoy Passes Through Strategic Atal Tunnel Amid Tensions With China

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the 9.02 km long ‘Atul Tunnel’ that falls in the Leh-Manali highway route.

Times Now reports that the 475 km-long Manali-Keylong-Leh highway is utilized by the Indian Army to travel to the forward areas in Ladakh that border Pakistan and China. This project attempts at making that pathway accessible for motor vehicles across the year.

On Wednesday, the first convoy of the armed forces passed through this strategically important tunnel.

The world’s longest highway tunnel reduces the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km. It also cuts down the travelling time by four to five hours, thus making the crucial route more approachable and convenient for the travelers.