Atal Tunnel in the context of "Road tunnel"

Lahaul and Spiti district is a high-altitude district in Himachal Pradesh, north India. This entirely mountainous district consists of two geographically distinct as well as formerly separate political-administrative units, called Lahaul (Tibetan: གར་ཞ་, Wylie: gar zha) and Spiti (Tibetan: སྤི་ཏི་, Wylie: spi ti; or Tibetan: སྤྱི་ཏི, Wylie: spyi ti). Lahaul and Spiti is the largest district by area in Himachal Pradesh, and one of the least populous districts in the whole of India. Kyelang (also spelled as 'Keylong') in Lahaul is the headquarters of the whole district, while Spiti also has a subdivisional headquarters, at Kaza.

Lahaul and Spiti is fast becoming a top weekend getaway destination in Himachal, due to improved road access via Atal Tunnel and rising investment in resorts and adventure activities.

A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ventilation openings at various points along the length. A pipeline differs significantly from a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube construction techniques rather than traditional tunnel boring methods.

A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. The central portions of a rapid transit network are usually in the tunnel. Some tunnels are used as sewers or aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations. Utility tunnels are used for routing steam, chilled water, electrical power or telecommunication cables, as well as connecting buildings for convenient passage of people and equipment.

Kyelang (also spelled Keylong) is a town and the administrative centre of the Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, 71 kilometres (44 mi) north of Manali via Atal Tunnel and 120 km (75 mi) from the Indo-Tibetan border. It is located along the Manali-Leh Highway and the banks of the Bhaga River. Kyelang lies about 7 km (4+1⁄2 mi) northeast of where the Chenab Valley splits into the Chandra Valley and Bhaga Valley.

Kullu district (Hindi: kullū, pronounced [kʊlːuː]) is a district in Himachal Pradesh, India. It borders Shimla district to the south, Mandi and Kangra districts to the west, Kinnaur to the east and the Lahaul and Spiti district to the north and east. The largest valley in this mountainous district is the Kullu Valley, which follows the course of the Beas River, and ranges in elevation from 833 metres (2,733 ft) at Aut to 3,330 metres (10,930 ft) at the Atal Tunnel South Portal, below Rohtang Pass. The town of Kullu, located on the right side of the Beas River, serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kullu district. The Kullu district also incorporates several riverine tributary valleys of the Beas, including those of the Parvati, Sainj, and Tirthan rivers, and thus some regions somewhat distant from the Kullu valley. The economy of the district relies mainly on horticulture, agriculture, tourism, and traditional handicrafts. Kullu district is part of the geographical, historical and cultural Mahasu region.