Himachal Pradesh is set to receive a major connectivity boost, with two important road tunnels at Diyod and Hanogi on the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway scheduled to open to traffic on September 11.
The opening of the tunnels is expected to ease congestion and improve the movement of vehicles on the Pandoh–Takoli section of National Highway-03, a key route connecting Mandi with Kullu-Manali and further towards Leh-Ladakh.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced the development through his official social media handle on X, describing the opening as a significant step towards providing safer, faster and more reliable connectivity in Himachal Pradesh.
The 2.8-kilometre Diyod Tunnel (T4-01) and the 650-metre Hanogi Tunnel (T4-02) are expected to eliminate two major bottlenecks along the highway. The tunnels will provide an alternative to stretches that have frequently experienced traffic congestion, particularly during the peak tourist season.
The tunnels form part of the Rs 4,465.94-crore four-laning project covering the end of Pandoh Bypass–Takoli section. The 18.908-kilometre corridor is being developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) as part of efforts to strengthen highway infrastructure and improve travel efficiency in the region.
The upgraded corridor is also expected to reduce travel time between Mandi and Kullu under normal traffic conditions. According to the minister’s statement, the journey, which currently takes around two hours, is expected to be reduced to approximately 60 minutes once traffic flow improves along the corridor.
