All-weather Jammu-Srinagar link ready

NEW DELHI: From next month, vehicles can travel between Jammu and Srinagar seamlessly even during heavy snowfall as the 8.5 km tunnel between Banihal and Qazigund will become operational. Sources said PM Narendra Modi may inaugurate the double-tube tunnel next month which is expected to bring relief to the people living in the Valley.
TOIhas learnt that all the civil work on this 8.5 km tunnel has been completed and the integration and checking of all electronic equipment is underway.“All ongoing work will be completed by this month end,” said a source.
The work on this project had started in 2011 at a cost of Rs 2,100 crore with the aim to reduce the road distance between Banihal in Jammu and Qazigund in south Kashmir by 16 km. The project has been delayed and has missed several deadlines due to unexpected geological conditions inside the tunnel and also due to the financial issues of the construction company.
The foundation stones for Banihal-Qazigund and Chenani-Nashri tunnels were laid during the UPA-II in July 2011 to provide all weather connectivity to Srinagar by road. The second project, which is now known as Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel, was inaugurated by Modi in April 2017.
NHAI officials said the highway authority has floated tenders for two more big tunnels and a viaduct on the Ramban-Banihal stretch of the highway to make the road safer for commuters. “We will be bidding out these works in July and once these are completed, there will be no problem for vehicles,” said an official.