Binoo Joshi
JK NEWS TODAY Special
A high altitude strategic feat was achieved on Saturday , when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Atal tunnel in Himachal Pradesh , which is primarily being viewed as a time reduction means to reach borders with China besides boosting the local economy of the region. It is much more than that when analysed its long-term strength for the country and its armed forces in the long-run.
In strategic terms, each road, each bridge, each tunnel amounts to increasing the capacity of the nation in accessing its strategic assets . These infrastructural strategic assets are intertwined with the protection of these type of sensitive and strategically crucial assets in the high altitude mountains .
Home Minister Amit Shah hailed October 3- the tunnel opening day- as “ historic” that has translated a dream into reality. While expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating the tunnel , Home Minister analysed that how this “ engineering marvel” will serve the country. He said : Atal Tunnel will prove to be a major boon for the entire region. People will now have access to better healthcare facilities, business opportunities & essential items. It will also strengthen our defence preparedness & generate employment by giving impetus to the tourism sector.”
The tunnel that opens the existing locations with greater speed round the year as the distance has been reduced by 9.2 kms and five hours fits into the new initiatives that India is taking to create new assets and protect the ones which were difficult to accessed so far. There is a strategic outlook behind such moves that has been given due importance ever since 2014.
Who can fault , or for that atter , who can explain , that why there was inordinate delay in the construction of the tunnel , the work on which started during Atal Behari Vajpayee’s time in 2002 ? Didn’t the governments realise that how important it is for the people and the armed forces ? Same can be said of the other such crucial projects that were delayed for no rhyme or reason all these years.
Prime Minister was very clear that no such delays would be tolerated , and the delays that have occurred so far are also intolerable . The defence of the country cannot be compromised just because of the whims and fancies of the bureaucratic culture of throwing files from one desk to another .
At the moment, when India is locked in a tense standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, such connectivity becomes a force multiplier. This boosts morale of the soldiers as also that of the border residents. They need such connectivity to reach to the soldiers in such times of crises and help them out. They have the advantage of knowing the terrain ,but when they have the support of the roads, tunnels and bridges, their confidence level touches Himalayan heights which they traverse quite often.
