Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that the state government would restore the foundation stone plaque of Atal Tunnel Rohtang laid by Sonia Gandhi.

The issue over the restoration of the plaque declaring the foundation stone for the Atal Tunnel was laid by the Congress leader has come to the fore.

CM Sukhu said that the government would take up the matter of restoring the foundation stone plaque of Atal Tunnel, laid by the leader in the capacity of chairperson of National Advisory Council on June 28, 2010, with the concerned authority.

Sukhu, in an official statement, said the plaque has been "missing", which is an "insult to democracy".

"The plaque of the foundation stone was missing which was an insult to democracy and must be restored at the earliest. The 9.02- kilometre tunnel was built by the Border Roads Organisation to connect the landlocked Lahaul-Spiti district," he said.

The Congress has taken up the restoration of the missing plaque with the authority concerned when the party was in the Opposition.

Prime Minister Narendra inaugurated the tunnel on October 3, 2020, leading to a political war of words over credit.

Both parties claimed credit for the project.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had laid the foundation stone for the approach road in 2002 and the tunnel was named after him following his demise.

(with inputs from ANI)