Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has started sharing the technology used to build the Atal tunnel, Rohtang with engineering students as Karnataka’s Alliance University organised an educational tour to the Atal tunnel.
Modi had announced on October 3, 2020 during the inauguration of the Atal tunnel that Border Roads Organisation (BRO) should share the construction technology of Atal tunnel with engineering students of the country to make the country Aatma-Nirbhar in tunnel construction. On Tuesday, students of Alliance College of Engineering and Design from Bangalore-based Alliance University visited the tunnel.
This being the first engineering students’ group to visit the tunnel for educational purpose, BRO officials gave both students and faculty members a warm welcome. They have also invited engineering students from the country who wish to learn about Atal Tunnel’s planning, challenges, difficulties, and execution.
“This was an amazing experience. This is no doubt an engineering masterpiece. We came all the way from Bangalore only to see this tunnel and to meet the engineers to listen to their experiences,” one of the students Lakshmi Jotsana said.
Dr Vipin Prasad, professor and HoD, basic sciences, said he had started planning an educational tour to Manali ever since he had heard PM Modi inviting engineering students to visit the tunnel. “Be it civil, mechanical, electrical or students from any stream, all should visit here at least once. They will get to learn a lot of things. Students were so excited to meet the engineers and see the various technical aspects of the tunnel,” he said.
Professor Prasad added that it was a proud moment for the students and the Alliance University, Karnataka, that they could make it to be the first engineering college to visit the tunnel for educational purposes on the call of PM Modi. “BRO has been very helpful in making this tour successful. A large number of students and faculty members had planned to visit but only 15 students and two faculty members were able to visit due to Covid-19 related issues.”
The students were welcomed by Atal Tunnel project chief engineer VK Singh, who briefed technical aspects of the tunnel through slide shows, pictures and videos. Then students were taken to the tunnel site and were taken inside the escape tunnel, ventilation tunnel, fire room, and were briefed about all the sensors and machines besides excavation technology.
“The students were so excited. We are all set to welcome students to share our technical knowledge gained in this project. Technology sharing will improve the understanding of students and professionals. Various difficulties faced during the construction of this world’s longest highway tunnel at such an altitude were explained. This will make a foundation for dealing with such problems in future projects,” chief engineer said.
The curious students asked a large number of questions from the BRO officials. Dakshanamurthy, the youngest student in the group, was wondering how engineers worked amid deep snow and how they were clearing the snow. He also asked why this tunnel needed a dedicated and specially designed drainage system.
Pragya Pandey wanted to know if BRO faced any political intervention when the project was underway. She also asked about the emergency escape tunnel and if there was any fatality reported during the work.
Professor Revathy M, one of the faculty members, also asked many questions regarding the planning and execution of the tunnel.
Manali-based Discover Kullu Manali (Discover India Holiday Tours) had managed stay, transportation and other facilities to the students’ group.
“Besides the visit to Atal tunnel, the enthusiastic students will be participating in various adventure activities, trekking and clean-up Himalaya campaign. A week-long educational-cum-adventure tour has been amazing so far despite pandemic situation,” the tour organiser Suresh Sharma said.
The participants
Faculty members: Dr Vipin Prasad and Prof Ravathy M
Students: Arpit Rai, Balasubramanya Reddy M, Dadireddy Navyasree, Dakshanamurthy, Kishore M, Lakshmi Jotsna, Nithin S, Parlapalli Lakshmi, Pragya Pandey, Sai Krishna V, Sandeep Gautam, Sharath G, Siddhartha Das, Surya Prakash, Vinay KN.
Now tourists and engineering college students can book a ticket to Atal tunnel online.
Comments