As Pakistan celebrates its 74th Independence Day, Google Doodle honours the occasion once again.
The Google Doodle for today, illustrated in the artwork is the fortified eastern entrance of Pakistan’s historic Khojak Tunnel, one of the nation’s oldest and longest underpasses. Construction on this iconic landmark began in 1888. This was to extend the area’s railway through the Khojak pass of the Toba Kakar mountain range. At the time, this was impossible to cross by train.
The Khojak Tunnel’s construction was an unprecedented undertaking in the South Asian subcontinent. Over 19 million bricks were required. Most of which were kilned at the rugged site, and builders burned more than 6,000 candles to illuminate their work in the dark space. Upon its completion in 1891, the 3.9-kilometer Khojak Tunnel became the fourth-longest underpass in the world.
To honor this feat of civil engineering, in 1976 the Pakistani government printed a depiction of the Khojak Tunnel on its five-rupee note, which remained in circulation until 2005.
Happy Independence Day, Pakistan 🇵🇰
Source: Google
