Sir,
This refers to the editorial’Network of tunnels'(DE,Feb17,2016).It is heartening to read that the Union Ministry of Roads and Surface Transport has envisaged a massive plan of road connectivity in our state to provide connectivity to the strategic links to the border areas.Ours is a mountainous state having high mountains many of which remain covered with snow for a long time during winter affecting vehicular traffic ,thus forcing the people to undergo many hardships.Moreover, our state is important from strategic point of view.This road connectivity,besides having strategic importance,will help a lot in changing the economy and the standards of the people of our state.
There used to be a time when Jawahar Tunnel constructed way back in the nineteen fifties used to evoke awe and wonder in the minds of the people visiting Kashmir.Then,with the laying of Jammu-Katra railway track and fourlaning of Jammu-Udhampur stretch of Jammu- Kashmir National Highway,a no. of tunnels – big and small,were constructed in our state,which speak volume about the engineering marvels and breakthroughs achieved by our engineers.Now the 9.2 kms long Chenani-Nashri tunnel is under construction,which will considerably reduce the road distance between Chenani and Nashri on the Jammu and Kashmir National Highway and make the journey pleasant and shorter when operationalised. Similarly, Zojila Tunnel connecting the capital city of Srinagar and estimsted to cost a whopping ten thousand crore rupees and Razdhan Tunnel,envisaged to be 18 Kms long and connecting Gurez with Kashmir valley,besides being engineering marvels and reducing the road distance, are strategically important.All these tunnels and three others in Kupwara-Keran sector, when operationalised, will definitely change the face of our mountainous state by providing the much needed connectivity to the people and earn our state the sobriquet of ‘the land of tunnels’.
Yours etc…..
Ashok Sharma ,
Flat No 4,
Housing Colony, Udhampur
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