Srinagar, Apr 09: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday said that the road network in Jammu and Kashmir will be developed at par with American roads and developmental works worth Rs 1,25,000 crore are underway in the region.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, after completing the inspection of the strategic Zojila and Z Morh tunnels, he said during the next 3-4 years, the road infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir will be upgraded at par with American roads. We are working for this mission under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.
He said that a four-lane Greenfield Expressway, connecting Delhi-Katra, will also be made, which will reduce the distance between the two cities by 58 Km.
“A total of 32 Green Express Highways are being built, the most important of which is Delhi- Amritsar-Katra Greenfield. This 670 km four-lane Green Field Expressway from Delhi to Vaishno Devi Dham, Katra will be completed by December 2023 at a cost of 37,524 crores,” he said.
“Presently the distance from Delhi to Katra is 727 km, this expressway will reduce the distance by 58 km. With this, there is a possibility that the distance between Delhi-Amritsar, Delhi-Katra, and Delhi-Srinagar will be covered in 4 hours, 6 hours, and 8 hours respectively,” he added.
Gadkari said that we have also taken up work of a 78 Km four-lane Srinagar ring road, a Rs 4,660 crore worth project, which will be completed in 2023-24.
“With the construction of this ring road, the people, coming to Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Gurez, Kargil, and Leh, will not have to come inside Srinagar city. This will reduce the traffic congestion and pollution in the city,” he said.
The Union Minister said from Khanabal to Chandwari in Pahalgam, two-lane roads will be constructed to facilitate Yatris while as from Panjtarni to Cave shrine of Amarnath, a tunnel will also be constructed with all pilgrim protection facilities.
“For making Mughal road, a two-lane road will be constructed. At the Peer Ki Gali, a tunnel will also come up to make the road an all weather road in the region,” he said.
Gadkari said they got good support from J&K administration and local people. The developmental works worth Rs 1,25,000 crore are being taken up by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
“ Since 2014, around 500 km road network has been completed in the region, and about 1700 km roads are being constructed at a cost of Rs 75,000 crores, Gadkari said.
He said that about 41 significant tunnels are being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at a cost of Rs 45,000 crore. Ropeways worth Rs 5,000 crore will be constructed in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, he added.
The Minister said that in order to make the journey between Jammu and Srinagar comfortable, three corridors worth Rs 35,000 crores are being constructed.
He said that the earlier distance of 320 kms between Jammu and Srinagar will get reduced by 70 km after the completion of these corridors.
Gadkari said design of four laning of Jammu-Srinagar highway is based on geo-technical and geo-scientific investigations to reduce the obstacles caused by landslides, the Minister informed the gathering.
He said that a new 78 km 4-lane ring road is being constructed in Srinagar at a cost of Rs 4,660 crores. Four lane road will be constructed from Khanabal to Panjtarni to ease up the journey of Amarnath pilgrimage, he said
Gadkari said by the improvement in road infrastructure, J&K is going to witness three to four times increase in tourist footfall in coming years.
“The tourism in Kashmir will be increased 3-4 times and tourism is a sector that creates maximum employment avenues. I have requested LG and JK government to plan resorts, and adventure sports, and just like Switzerland, we can develop a lot of things here, he said.
Gadkari said people are already coming here, Baba Amarnath road is here, so we can increase the tourism potential here, which will create more employment potential for the people of J-K. It will eradicate the poverty in Ladakh and J-K, he said.
“This is under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that we have started this and we are hopeful that we will get this tunnel (completed) as early as possible,” he said.
Asked once the breakthrough of the tunnel is achieved, would the army be allowed to travel on the rough tunnel if need be, Gadkari said whatever has to be done at the time of emergency, it will be done at that time.
“In times of emergency and in the interest of the country, a result is achieved with positivity. There has not been a such need, and there is no possibility of such need, but, if there arises a need, then we will surely do what our defence forces say,” he said.
Gadkari said that 38 per cent work has been completed on the Zojila tunnel till date and work is on at full pace to complete the remaining work. He added that the Z Morh tunnel will be thrown open in October 2023.
Replying to formation of committee of three experts to investigate killing of 10 labourers that were buried under inside under-construction tunnel in Ramban on Jammu-Srinagar highway in May 2022, Gadkari said probe was ordered and four officials were debarred by the Ministry.
Gadkari said the estimated cost of the project was ₹12,000 crore, but, after discussions with experts and international consultants for a year, its cost was brought down by ₹5,000 crore.
“This is the first time in the history of our country that we have a saving of ₹5,000 crore as far as the estimated cost is concerned. This is a very difficult task, the people are working here in minus 26 degrees,” he said.
The Minister said this is to be a state-of-art-project and with the cooperation of J-K LG Manoj Sinha and his administration, it will be very helpful for us, he said.
Asked about demand for Sadna Tunnel in Karna in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the Gadkari said 19 tunnels are being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 25 thousand crore.
“I don’t have exact information about Sadna Tunnel and will check it status. I am being told that road is not with us and it is looked by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and they are finalizing its DPR to the central government,” he said.
