The winter months next year may bring a new experience for those travelling on Jammu-Srinagar highway as the new Banihal-Qazigund tunnel is likely to be completed within the next 100 days. Or even earlier. The new 8.5 km tunnel is located at a much lower height than 2.5 km Jawahar Tunnel which provides link between Jammu region and the Kashmir valley.
Tweeting about this technological marvel on Thursday evening, MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh said the tunnel will be dedicated to people soon. He also had some pictures of the tunnel appended to his tweet.
Work nearing completion!#Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel of 8.5 km at an elevation of 1,790 mtr is the only 4 lane twin tube tunnel in #JammuAndKashmir soon to be dedicated to the people. pic.twitter.com/ZFHWBd6wpY
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) February 4, 2021
The travellers have to presently climb uphill from Banihal town to the Jawahar Tunnel and the route sure is arduous for loaded goods carriers because of steep ascent. The difficulties in travelling this stretch also increase due to heavy snowfall and the threat of avalanches. Overall, this tunnel will lead to reduction of traveling time by an hour or so.
In fact, those who have travelled on Jammu-Srinagar stretch can compare the easier travelling that another tunnel at Chenani has ensured. Earlier, steep climb to Patanitop and then going down to Batote often used to take an hour or so at the very minimum. Now this journey is over in 15 minutes, or lesser time. Much in the same manner, the Banihal-Qazigund tunnel will help bypass heavy snowfall area at Jawahar Tunnel.
One major bottleneck in travelling on Jammu-Srinagar stretch was overcome when the Chenani tunnel was declared open. Another bottleneck will become easily negotiable at Banihal with the new tunnel. Incidentally, it is inconceivable today to think of bypassing Jawahar Tunnel to reach Srinagar. Before this tunnel came up six decades ago, the vehicles had to climb still higher to hilltop, an additional distance of over 20 km, to travel on this road.
Chief Secretary of Union Territory (UT) of J&K BVR Subramanian had reviewed the work on the Banihal-Qazigund tunnel recently. According to project manager of this tunnel Gaurav Gopal, the work is likely to be over in a couple of months. The work on this tunnel started in 2011 with June 2019 being the completion date initially. The project is being executed by Navayuga Engineering Company (NEC) and is likely to cost around Rs 2,100 crore.
Sant Kumar Sharma, a seasoned journalist, is an authority on Jammu and Kashmir. Two of his books on Article 370 and Delimitation are already out. The third one on Indus Waters Treaty is now out and could be bought here.
Sant began as a teacher but after six years, joined the Indian Express, Chandigarh in 1990, the year when terrorism was taking its first step in J & K and soon there would be exodus of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley. He subsequently worked for The Statesman, The Times of India and Star News among others. He is based in Jammu since May 2000.
