Reinstall the Atal Tunnel foundation stone laid by Sonia Gandhi or face a massive protest: Himachal Congress

The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has threatened that if the BJP-led state government would not reinstall the foundation stone at the newly-inaugurated Atal Tunnel at Rohtang by former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in 2010, it will organize a massive state-level agitation against the government and the administration.

HPCC president Kuldeep Singh Rathore had alleged on Monday that the said foundation stone has gone missing as the state administration removed it during the inauguration at the beginning of this month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on October 3.

Rathore, in a letter to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur, said, "This is an undemocratic, unconventional and illegal step."

He added, "If the foundation stone is not reinstalled at its original position, the Congress will organize a massive state-level agitation against the government and the administration."

Two leaders from the party, Gialchhen Thakur and Hari Chand Sharma have reportedly filed a police case and demanded investigations.

The 9.02 Km long tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year. Earlier the valley was cut off for about 6 months each year owing to heavy snowfall.

The Tunnel is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 Mtrs (10,000 Feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL).