Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Minister for R&B, Abdul Majid Wani said that he is quite hopeful that Government of India will accord sanction for construction of two much important tunnels to connect Sudh Mahadev with Marmat Doda and Dessa Doda with Kapran in Kashmir valley and also declare Pul Doda Exit (Pul Doda) Desa – Gai – Hingipora – Kapran – Verinag road in District Doda & Anantnag as National Highway.
Mr Wani time and again, apprised the Government of India about need for construction of an alternative National Highway, to link Udhampur district with Kashmir valley via Chenani Mantalai-Sudh Mahadev-Marma t- Doda-Dessa and Kapran in Kashmir valley. The existing National Highway NH1A remains overburdened throughout the year and things become really messy during annual tourist season and holy Yatra to Shri Amarnath.
Further the NH1B connecting Batote with Kishtwar has been declared unsafe due to the pondage of Baglihar reservoir and putting this road to further use is not advisable as it may lead to irreparable losses to public and property. It is noteworthy that during 2008 around half a kilometer patch of NH1B was washed off due to capillary action caused by Baglihar pondage.
Mr Wani further said that reasons for survival of terrorist activities in the Dessa and Marmat areas, right from Banaan Marmat via Ram Rachan Dedni Mandir Shiva Alaal Bani and Kapran- Hashwar Dhar Dessa, is only non connectivity of these areas and turning these as safe heavens for such elements.
It was further brought to the notice of GoI at appropriate level that distance from Chennani in Udhampur district, located on the National Way NH1A, to Sudh Mahadev is only 24 kilometers. The first two and half kilometer long tunnel was proposed to be constructed for connecting Sudh Mahadev with Marmat in Doda district. Thereafter covering a distance of approximately 78 kilometers one can reach Dessa in Doda, where the second tunnel (seven and half kilometer long) has been proposed to be constructed. This will connect Dessa with Kapran Dooru in Anantnag district, near gateway of Pahalgam (Base camp of Amarnath Yatra) in Kashmir valley.
As R&B Minister had recommended declaration of Pul Doda Exit (Pul Doda) Desa – Gai – Hingipora – Kapran – Verinag road in District Doda & Anantnag as National Highway in view of its economic, geographic, demographic importance viz-a-viz tourism potential and its strategic importance to combat the menace of terrorist activities, the BRO was also given go ahead to conduct feasibility investigations for proposed Sudh Mahadev-Marmat Road.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel