Atal Tunnel

The Atal Tunnel changed travel from Manali to Lahaul. This guide covers the 9.02 km tunnel's history, what it saves over the Rohtang Pass and how to plan a day trip to Sissu.

The Atal Tunnel is a 9.02-kilometre, two-lane road tunnel on National Highway 3 that runs beneath the Pir Panjal range between the Manali side and Lahaul, bypassing the Rohtang Pass. At a general altitude of about 3,000 to 3,100 metres, it is described as the longest single-tube highway tunnel above 10,000 feet in the world.

Before it opened, the road from Manali to Keylong over Rohtang via Gramphu was 116 km long and took five to six hours in good conditions; the tunnel route is about 71 km and takes roughly two hours. It also avoids most of the avalanche-prone stretches that used to cut Lahaul off in winter. The idea of a tunnel here dates back to the 19th century, but work only began on 28 June 2010 at the south portal, about 25 km north of Manali.

The Border Roads Organisation built it with an Afcons–Strabag joint venture, working through heavy water ingress and unstable rock. Originally called the Rohtang Tunnel, it was renamed after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in December 2019 and inaugurated on 3 October 2020. For visitors it has become a popular day trip from Manali, usually combined with Solang Valley and the village of Sissu on the Lahaul side.

The road may be closed during heavy snowfall, so check conditions in Manali first.