Hanogi Tunnel Opens on Manali Four-Lane, But Local Market and Temple Access Face New Challenges
The opening of the Hanogi tunnel on the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway is expected to make travel between Mandi, Kullu and Manali faster and smoother. However, the change in traffic movement has created a new concern for Hanogi market and visitors travelling to the famous Mata Hanogi Temple.
Hanogi Tunnel Changes the Flow of Traffic
A major change has been witnessed in the Hanogi area of Mandi district after traffic began using the new tunnel section of the Manali four-lane highway. Earlier, vehicles travelling through this stretch passed through Hanogi market, giving local shops and businesses a steady flow of potential customers.
With vehicles now increasingly using the tunnel, the traditional route through the market is seeing less traffic. For commuters, this is an important improvement because the new alignment is designed to provide a faster and more convenient highway journey. For businesses located along the old route, however, the change could have a very different impact.
Why Hanogi Market Is Concerned
Hanogi has traditionally benefited from its location along the route connecting the Mandi and Kullu-Manali regions. Travellers stopping for refreshments, shopping or other needs contributed to the activity around the market.
The tunnel changes that pattern by allowing vehicles to bypass the market instead of travelling through the older road section. According to local residents, the reduction in vehicle movement is already becoming visible after tunnel traffic started.
The concern becomes more significant when viewed from a long-term perspective. Once traffic operations through both sides of the tunnel system become fully established, the number of vehicles using the old market route could fall further.
Access to Mata Hanogi Temple Is Another Concern
The issue is not limited to commercial activity. Hanogi is also known for the revered Mata Hanogi Temple, which attracts devotees and visitors travelling through this part of Himachal Pradesh.
Local residents are concerned that direct and convenient access to the temple and market could become more difficult if the old road is not properly connected with the new four-lane highway.
Under the current arrangement highlighted by local residents, travellers who need to reach Hanogi market or the temple may have to take a longer route through the old road network instead of making a straightforward connection from the new highway.
Local Residents Want the Old Road Connected to the Four-Lane
The local demand is therefore focused on creating a suitable connection between the old Hanogi road and the new four-lane highway.
Deori Panchayat Pradhan Tulsi Ram and local resident Narendra Nawahri have called for an appropriate road connection so that Hanogi market and Mata Hanogi Temple remain easily accessible even after the new highway becomes fully operational.
The residents have also urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the administration to inspect the location and examine the possibility of providing a practical connection between the tunnel section and the old road.
A Classic Challenge of Modern Highway Development
The situation at Hanogi highlights a broader challenge that often comes with major highway projects. New bypasses and tunnels are designed to improve the movement of vehicles, reduce travel time and make long-distance journeys safer.
At the same time, older markets that developed around the traditional highway alignment can lose a significant part of their passing traffic. Unless proper access points, service roads and connecting routes are planned, local communities can find themselves separated from the very highway infrastructure that is being built to improve regional connectivity.
In Hanogi's case, the challenge is particularly important because the location serves both commercial and religious purposes. A well-planned connection could help maintain access for local residents, shopkeepers, tourists and devotees without undermining the main purpose of the new tunnel.
What the Tunnel Means for Mandi-Kullu-Manali Travel
From a wider transportation perspective, the Hanogi and Deod sections are an important part of the ongoing transformation of the Kiratpur-Manali highway.
The newly opened tunnel sections are expected to reduce dependence on difficult stretches of the older highway and improve the overall journey towards Kullu and Manali. Recent reports have noted that the new tunnel infrastructure can significantly reduce travel time between Mandi and Kullu while also helping vehicles avoid congested and difficult road sections.
This could be particularly important during the peak tourist season, when the Mandi-Kullu-Manali corridor experiences heavy traffic. Better highway infrastructure can improve journey reliability for tourists, transport operators and local residents.
Development vs. Local Connectivity
The Hanogi situation is therefore not simply a question of whether the tunnel is beneficial or harmful. The tunnel offers major advantages for long-distance traffic, but the surrounding local economy also needs suitable connectivity.
The most practical solution could be to ensure that the old market and temple remain easily reachable from the new highway through an appropriate access road, junction or service connection, subject to technical and safety requirements.
Such an approach could allow the four-lane project to deliver its intended benefits while reducing the economic and accessibility impact on the existing settlement.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus is now likely to remain on access. Local residents want NHAI and the administration to inspect the site and assess whether a suitable connection can be developed between the new four-lane and the old Hanogi route.
If a practical connection is created, it could make it easier for travellers to continue visiting the market and Mata Hanogi Temple without significantly affecting the benefits of the new tunnel.
For now, the opening of the Hanogi tunnel represents both progress and a reminder that major infrastructure projects need to consider the communities located along the older routes as well.
Bottom Line
The Hanogi tunnel is a major step forward for faster and smoother travel on the Manali four-lane highway. But as through traffic moves away from the old road, Hanogi market and access to Mata Hanogi Temple are facing a new challenge.
The demand from local residents is straightforward: improve the connection between the old route and the new four-lane so that better highway infrastructure does not come at the cost of local accessibility and livelihoods.
Note: This article has been independently written and structured for TravellingPhone and is not a reproduction of the source article.
