In one of her recent visits to Kupwara and Karnah in North Kashmir, the Chief Minister personally heard the plaint of the people of Karnah about what difficulties and hardships they are to undergo year after year on account of closure of Kupwara-Karnah Link during winter when anything between 20 to 12 feet snow collects on the tortuous mountainous path which they have to negotiate during those harsh months of winter.
Sadhna Pass is situated at a height of above 11000 feet from sea level and is impassable during six long months of winter. Long back the Border Roads Organization and the Roads and Buildings Department of the State conducted survey of the link between Kupwara and Karnah which is very close to LoC with PoK. They strongly recommended that three tunnels along this distance were of basic need if we wanted to have a year round link with Karnah and these three Tunnels included Sadhna. The proposal was forwarded by the State Government to the Union Ministry of Surface Transport but so far the Ministry has not given any indication that Sadhna project is under close consideration.
Karnah is very close to LoC and Kupwara is the crucial strategic district in North Kashmir. Taking into account the strategic importance of Karnah, particularly when we all know that maximum infiltration by the jihadi cannibals took place through these region in the initial years of armed insurgency and even now bids of infiltration have not abated, we would like to impress upon the Union Government to consider the construction of Sadhna tunnel as a project of immense strategic importance. More than a lakh of people are affected by the prevailing uncertain connectivity. The tunnel will also immensely facilitate movement of troops and war material to our forward posts and our border security will be reinforced.
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