Amid renewed all-weather connectivity push for J&K following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the Centre is set to reconsider financial approvals for two strategic and long-pending tunnel projects that can provide alternative linkage between Jammu and Srinagar through National Highway 244.
The Singhpora-Vailoo and Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnels, both pending a go ahead for over a decade now, are set to be brought back for re-consideration by the inter-ministerial Public Investment Board (PIB), ET has learnt.
The projects - though they have received all defence and green clearances - were shot down by PIB in a March 22 meeting over several issues, including overdone structural elements and a massive ₹8,900 crore cost estimate.
ET gathers that the plan has been reworked now - to address some of the concerns raised and a revised proposal that will cost much lesser - and will be taken up by the highways ministry for consideration at the next PIB meeting.
The two projects are of strategic significance as they can help provide a safer, all-weather, route for troop movement and convoys along the border areas as compared to NH 44 which runs closer to the Line of Control, and hence is more vulnerable to terror attacks.
The need for the two projects has, in fact, been underlined repeatedly by political leaders from across parties in J&K too as they ease up traffic volume on Jammu-Srinagar highway via Jawahar Tunnel and link Srinagar and border areas with all-weather roads.
The near 10 km Singhpora-Vailoo Tunnel is aimed at providing all-year connectivity between the Valley and the Chenab region. Currently, the only linkage is along the Anantnag-Kokernag-Kishtwar road which passes through the 12,000 feet Sinthan pass, known to be a treacherous area prone to blockages during snowfall or heavy rain.
The Singhpora-Vailoo Tunnel - linking Ahlan in Kokernag to Chatroo in Kishtwar - aims to bypass the Sinthan pass which will pave way for all-year travel between the Valley and Chenab regions of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur and Reasi, the latter also a critical mineral mining site.
The second key project - Sudhmahadev-Dranga Tunnel - involves a near 8 km unidirectional linkage to bring down the distance between Sudhmahadev in Udhampur and Khellani in Doda from 100 km to 32 km.
The present linkage - Goha-Khellani road - is accident prone and vulnerable to landslides. The new alignment along the Sudhmahadev-Dranga Tunnel to Khellani town and Goha village is expected to reduce travel time and cost of movement for trade as well.
The Singhpora-Vailoo and Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnels, both pending a go ahead for over a decade now, are set to be brought back for re-consideration by the inter-ministerial Public Investment Board (PIB), ET has learnt.
The projects - though they have received all defence and green clearances - were shot down by PIB in a March 22 meeting over several issues, including overdone structural elements and a massive ₹8,900 crore cost estimate.
ET gathers that the plan has been reworked now - to address some of the concerns raised and a revised proposal that will cost much lesser - and will be taken up by the highways ministry for consideration at the next PIB meeting.
The two projects are of strategic significance as they can help provide a safer, all-weather, route for troop movement and convoys along the border areas as compared to NH 44 which runs closer to the Line of Control, and hence is more vulnerable to terror attacks.
The need for the two projects has, in fact, been underlined repeatedly by political leaders from across parties in J&K too as they ease up traffic volume on Jammu-Srinagar highway via Jawahar Tunnel and link Srinagar and border areas with all-weather roads.
The near 10 km Singhpora-Vailoo Tunnel is aimed at providing all-year connectivity between the Valley and the Chenab region. Currently, the only linkage is along the Anantnag-Kokernag-Kishtwar road which passes through the 12,000 feet Sinthan pass, known to be a treacherous area prone to blockages during snowfall or heavy rain.
The Singhpora-Vailoo Tunnel - linking Ahlan in Kokernag to Chatroo in Kishtwar - aims to bypass the Sinthan pass which will pave way for all-year travel between the Valley and Chenab regions of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur and Reasi, the latter also a critical mineral mining site.
The second key project - Sudhmahadev-Dranga Tunnel - involves a near 8 km unidirectional linkage to bring down the distance between Sudhmahadev in Udhampur and Khellani in Doda from 100 km to 32 km.
The present linkage - Goha-Khellani road - is accident prone and vulnerable to landslides. The new alignment along the Sudhmahadev-Dranga Tunnel to Khellani town and Goha village is expected to reduce travel time and cost of movement for trade as well.
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