1.25 Lakh Crores Worth Mega-Projects in Pipeline for JK: Gadkari

Date:

‘Highways, Tunnels, Ropeways Will Aid UT’s Development’

Abrar Mattoo

SRINAGAR, Apr 10: Mr. Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, who is currently on a visit to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, said megaprojects related to transport worth 1.25 Lakh Crores are in pipeline for Jammu and Kashmir—all of which will aid the development of the region.

While addressing the mediapersons here in Srinagar, Mr. Gadkari said that all these projects will boost the economy, development, and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir and in coming years the Union Territory will become a model for the rest of India.

He said that by the year 2023, a road length of five hundred kilometers would culminate which includes major projects like the Jammu-Srinagar highway, and the Srinagar ring road. 

Mr. Gadkari said that three corridors are being constructed for the Jammu-Srinagar highway at the estimated cost of Rs. 35,000 Crores. The major corridor, Jammu-Ramban-Banihal-Srinagar 4-lane 245 km long highway, is being constructed at the estimated cost of Rs. 16,000 crores and is almost 80% complete.

He said the distance between Jammu and Srinagar has been reduced by nearly 70 km and while it previously took between 9-8 hours to travel on this road, it now takes merely 4-5 hours.

Mr. Gadkari said that geology has been a major deterrent since all these megaprojects are carried out in areas with hilly topography.

“In the year 2020, we made a design change on the 40 km Ramban-Banihal stretch, since the roads that we were constructing were more prone to damage due to various topographical reasons. We also commissioned five more tunnels on this stretch, all of which will be readied by the year 2026,” Mr. Gadkari added further.

 Mr. Gadkari said that the Delhi-Katra Express highway features among the 32 green express highways that are being constructed across the country. He said that the construction of this highway will reduce the traveling time between Delhi and Srinagar to only 8 hours.    

While updating on the strategic Zojilla tunnel, he said that 38% work has been completed and the construction is going ahead of schedule. He said that though the tunnel is state-of-the-art, the government has saved Rs. 5,000 crores on the construction cost. 

He further said that all-weather connectivity on Mughal Road will also be ensured in the coming years. He said that the central Government has allocated Rs. 6882 Crores for the development of the Mughal road, including a two-lane tunnel on Simthan top which will make the all-weather connectivity between Doda and Srinagar possible.

He also said that 18 ropeways are being developed in the Union Territory at the estimated cost of Rs. 5,000 Crore, including the 9 km Baltal ropeway and Shankaracharya ropeway at the estimated cost of Rs. 700 Crores and 60 Crores, respectively.  

While speaking with Kashmir Despatch on the environmental concerns of these mega-projects, Mr. Gadkari said that ecological and environmental concerns are always his priority, not only in Jammu and Kashmir but all across the country.  

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