Union Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday that the dream of building a highway from Kashmir to Kanyakumari would become a reality by the beginning of next year. “Kashmir to Kanyakumari road was a dream for us. Four tunnels will be constructed from Rohtang to Ladakh. From Leh we will come to Kargil and will be connected by Zojila and Z-Morh tunnels.” Chennai 1,312 km This dream will be realized by the beginning of 2024, Gadkari told reporters here.
The geopolitically important Z-Morh Tunnel on the Srinagar – Leh Highway (NH-1) was inaugurated today by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri. @manojsinha_ G and Member of Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Road Transport and Highways in the presence of Member of Parliament.
19 in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 25 thousand crores. pic.twitter.com/jBuP378Sv8– Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) April 10, 2023
The minister was in the Union Territory to attend the second meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Road Transport and Highways. Gadkari said that when the BJP government was formed at the Center in 2014, we had prepared a road map for road infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir.
Gadkari said, “Since then we have started projects worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore in Jammu and Kashmir. After the completion of these projects, the number of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir will increase four times. People go to Switzerland, our Jammu and Kashmir more beautiful.” , The minister said that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has identified 13 acres of land for creating roadside facilities for tourists. “Increased tourism will generate employment for the local people. In the coming few years, we will take the road network of Jammu and Kashmir to American standards,” he said.
Focusing on pilgrimage tourism, Gadkari announced plans to construct a tunnel between Sheshnag and Panjtarni on the Amarnath Yatra route, which he claimed would reduce travel time from the current three days to just nine hours Will go “A 110-km road will be constructed from Khanabal to Panjtarni for the ease of Amarnath pilgrims at a cost of Rs 5,300 crore. The DPR for the 73-km stretch from Khanabal to Chandanwari will be done in July 2023.
“The DPR for 37 km from Chandanwari to Panjtarni via Baltal at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore will be done in October this year. A 10.8 km long tunnel will be constructed between Sheshnag and Panjtarni,” the minister said. According to the minister, the Rs 4,660 crore Srinagar Ring Road (from Galandar in Pulwama district to Ganderbal district) will reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the city.
Also Read – Nitin Gadkari Visits Asia’s Longest, Highest Zojila Tunnel in J&K
In addition, the minister announced the construction of a tunnel at Peer Ki Gali on Mughal Road, which connects Poonch in the Jammu region to Shopian in the valley. “The Rs 6,000-crore project includes a Rs 5,000-crore tunnel at Peer Ki Gali, which includes construction of an all-weather road,” he said. Giving details of the ongoing road projects in the Union Territory, he said that these would reduce travel time on most routes.
“The tunneling on the Jammu-Srinagar corridor has reduced the distance by about 20 per cent. The travel time has already been reduced to 5.5 hours (between Jammu and Srinagar). With the ongoing work on the remaining, it will be further reduced by two hours. can be done.” Five tunnels have been completed,” he said.