Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 11: In what could be a major relief for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, work on the two critical and vital road tunnels is expected to commence soon.
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The assurance about this was made by the higher officials of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to the Member of Parliament from Anantnag-Rajouri Mian Altaf Ahmad.
Mian Altaf met the Director General of BRO in Delhi and took up the issue of delay in the construction of vital Mughal Road tunnel and other important roads and highways oversee by the BRO.
In a statement issued here, Mian Altaf said the DG BRO assured that the Mughal Road tunnel will be constructed soon. Long-awaited work of a tunnel on the Mughal Road is expected to be taken up soon, marking a significant step towards improving the connectivity between South Kashmir and the Rajouri-Poonch region of Jammu district, he said.
He said that the Mughal Road itself, an oldest route of historical significance, has long been plagued by seasonal closures due to heavy snowfall and adverse weather conditions. These closures not only disrupt vehicular traffic but also impact socio economic activities and trade between the two regions, he added.
Mian Altaf also raised the issue of various roads along Jammu-Poonch highway. “The DG BRO assured that road from Akhnoor to Sunderbani and from Manjakote to Poonch will be completed on priority besides expedite the work on Thannamandi- Bafliaz road. The DG also assured that the work on Manjakote tunnel will be also taken up” the statement added.
In a separate meeting with the senior officers of the NHIDCL in Delhi, Mian Altaf raised the issue of delay in construction of Vailoo- Singpora tunnel and demanded that the construction work should be started on this crucial project. The MP said he was assured by the NHIDCL officials that work on the tunnel construction would commence soon.
Mian Altaf said the tunnel, which would start at Ahlan in the Vailoo area of Kokernag in Anantnag would bypass a treacherous stretch connecting it with Chatroo in Kishtwar and shorten the distance between the two districts. It would also provide an alternative to the Srinagar-Jammu National highway and help in averting frequent road accidents in Chenab valley. The tunnel would also give a fillip to tourism in the region.
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