Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 24: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who is visiting the State on November 7, is also likely to lay foundation stone of widening of Udhampur-Banihal stretch of the National Highway in Udhampur district.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that State Government has received a communication from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) regarding likely visit of Prime Minister to Udhampur on November 7 for laying the foundation stone of widening of Udhampur-Banihal stretch of the National Highway 1A. Through this communiqué, the PMO has sought appropriate locations for foundation stone laying ceremony.
Acting on this communication, Udhampur district administration has identified two sites-Jakheni and Battal Ballian for the foundation stone laying ceremony, sources said, adding both these sites have now been communicated to the Prime Minister’s Office for selecting one of them.
“The site at Jakheni is suitable only for foundation stone laying ceremony but Battal Ballian is appropriate both for official function and public meeting”, sources said, adding “the location would be selected by the Prime Minister’s Office in consultation with the Special Protection Group (SPG) within next few days and thereafter the State Government would make necessary arrangements at Udhampur for the Prime Minister’s visit”.
Sources disclosed that following foundation stone laying ceremony the work on Udhampur-Chenani and Nashri-Banihal stretches of the National Highway would begin for their widening. The Udhampur-Chenani stretch would be completed at a cost of about Rs 2100 crore while as about Rs 2300 crore would be spent on widening of Nashri-Banihal stretch of the highway.
It is pertinent to mention here that work on Chenani-Nashri tunnel is going on at a fast pace and the final blast of the escape tunnel was triggered by the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the month of July this year. The 9 kilometer, 2-lane main tunnel would slash 31 kilometers of the distance and make the travel smooth and comfortable by reducing the journey by 2 hours.
The work on Udhampur-Chenani and Chanderkote-Banihal stretches would be carried out by Gamon India Pvt Limited and Nashri-Chanderkote stretch has been allotted to RAMKY Company and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has already signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with these two companies. Though Udhampur-Chenani and Nashri-Banihal stretches are very difficult yet the NHAI has fixed time-frame of nearly three years for their completion, sources said.
Following foundation stone laying ceremony, these companies would start mobilization of their men and machinery and thereafter start work on the ground. According to the sources, there would be a number of small tunnels on Nashri-Banihal stretch of the highway to avoid areas vulnerable from landslides point of view.
As reported earlier, the Prime Minister would also inaugurate Stage-II of the Baglihar Hydroelectric Project on river Chenab in Chanderkote area of Ramban district and address public rally in Srinagar, the venue for which is yet to be finalized.
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