Turkish tech firm behind world's longest highway tunnel

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s Savronik Elektronik is the tech firm behind the electromechanical systems, software, and completion of the technological infrastructure of the world's longest highway tunnel, located in the heart of India.

The Atal Tunnel, stretching 9 kilometers through the mountains, connects India to neighboring China, according to a statement from the company on Tuesday.

Situated on the slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, this single-tube, double-lane, horseshoe-type tunnel cut the distance from the old Rohtang Pass, spanning nearly 50 km long, to just 9 km.

The tunnel -- the world’s longest located over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above sea level -- provides 365 day 7/24 access, while the Rohtang Pass was unavailable during the winter due to heavy snow

The project for the tunnel's tech, whose contract was signed in June 2018, was carried out with a team of 500 and completed in just 24 months.

Siddik Yarman, Savronik’s chairman, said the design work was completed in Turkey and implemented through its affiliate in India.

Established in 1986 to serve the Turkish defense industry, Savronik has applied its extensive experience and knowledge from defense projects to its work on transportation and information systems.