CM inaugurates Asia's longest tunnel in HP

Shimla, Aug 6 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today inaugurated Asia's longest double-laned 10.5-metre long tunnel in Mandi district of the state.

The horse-shoe shaped tunnel is located on the Chandigarh-Manali-Leh National Highway Number 21 and has been built at a cost of Rs 43 crore.

Addressing a public meeting at Thalout on the occasion, Mr Singh said his government would ask the Centre for an extension of the industrial package to March 31, 2013, at par with other special category states.

The package was recently extended up to March 31, 2010 from the earlier deadline of March 31, 2007.

The state had attracted investments of about Rs 19,000 crore in the last three and a half years, besides providing employment potential to about 2.65 lakh people of the state, he said.

He said tourism was another sector which was contributing towards generating employment in addition to providing self-employment avenues to the people.

Announcing that the state government had given preliminary permission to the Himalayan Ski Resort on the basis of a detailed project report (DPR) submitted by them, he said the project would provide employment to about 3,000 people besides promoting tourism in the state.

Mr Singh said despite all odds, the 126 MW Larjee Hydro Electric Project was ready for commissioning.

The entire project was designed and executed by the experienced and competent engineers of the state and would be a landmark in the hydro-electric generation in the state, he said.

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