JAMMU, Apr 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated India’s longest road Chenani-Nashri tunnel to the nation, after inaugurating it here in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Chenani-Nashri tunnel is built on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and besides reducing the distance between the two capital cities of the state considerably, it will also be helpful in ensuring all weather traffic movement.
MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari received the Prime Minister at the venue, here this afternoon.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Governor N N Vohra and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Kumar Singh were also present on the occasion.
Later, the Prime Minister had first hand review of the tunnel in a specially-designed vehicle. The 9.2 km long twin-tube tunnel project cost Rs 2519 crore.
The tunnel, which is located at an elevation of 1200 metres, will be the first in India to be equipped with world class ‘integrated tunnel control system,’ through which ventilation, fire control, signals, communication and electrical systems will be automatically actuated.
The tunnel will also reduce the travel time between the two state capitals of Jammu and Srinagar by two-and-a-half hours, while the road distance from Chenani and Nashri will be now 10.9 km, instead of the existing 41 km.
The tunnel after becoming operational, will reduce the traffic jams on National Highway-1A, where jams occur due to snowfall and avalanches in winter at Patnitop.
The work on the tunnel, which is part of a 286-km-long four-lane project on the highway, started on May 23, 2011 in lower Himalayan mountain range, and cost Rs 3,720 crore.
Buses and trucks will have to pay Rs 190 as one side toll and Rs 285 as two-side toll. Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) Company has also set up a well-equipped fully computerised operation room for surveillance of vehicles inside the twin tubes.
Chenani-Nashri tunnel is Asia’s first and longest bi-directional highway tunnel with fully transverse ventilation system. The 19-km long excavation for main tunnel, escape tunnel and cross passage were built in record time of four years – first in the world. Meanwhile, multi-tier security was put in place for the VVIP’s visit in Udhampur district.
Additional deployment of troops was made all along the national highway, to keep check on any anti-national or anti-social activity.
(AGENCIES)
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