Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, May 1: Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Chhattergala Tunnel Project has been finalized by BEACONS, an agency working under the aegis of Border Roads Organization (BRO) and to begin with, tendering processing will be initiated to conduct the survey for the construction of the historic Chhattergalla Tunnel on the Lakhanpur-Basohli-Banni-Bhaderwah-Doda National Highway.
This was disclosed here today during a review update of the project at a meeting between Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and the officials of the BRO led by Additional Director General, S.K. Tripathi.
Describing the project as a game-changer for the entire region, Dr Jitendra Singh paid rich tributes to the former Defence Minister, Late Manohar Parrikar before whom he had, for the first time, put up the proposal and received an encouraging response in spite of all the constraints. He said, the survey and alignment process may take over a year, following which the construction work will start and the entire project may take over five to six years for completion. However, when complete, this will not only provide an alternative highway between Lakhanpur and Doda, but also an all-weather connectivity which was being hampered because of the snowfall during the winter months, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the new highway and Chhattergalla Tunnel will turn a new leaf for business, revenue, tourism and job generation. The construction process of the entire project itself, he said, will provide livelihood to about 15,000 youth.
He said, this is one of the three important tunnels approved by the Centre during the last two years for the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha constituency, the other two being the Suddh Mahadev Tunnel along Khilaini-Goha-Marmat-Suddh Mahadev Highway and the Kaljugar Tunnel connecting Doda-Bhaderwah directly with Chamba in Himachal Pradesh.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
