Srinagar, Mar 16: The most awaited T5 tunnel was opened for vehicular traffic on Thursday and it bypassed the most dangerous Panthiyal stretch along the Srinagar-Jammu highway that was often closed due to shooting of stones and landslides.
Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Mussarat Islam told Rising Kashmir that T5 tunnel at Panthyal was opened for two-way traffic on Thursday and it has bypassed the most dangerous part on the highway.
“The NHAI and its terrific Ground Zero team for diverting traffic through the tunnel Tunnel T5. We must Bye Bye Panthyal’s treacherous stretch,” he said.
Islam said it will be a major relief for the commuters on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, now people are able to bypass the Panthyal stretch in Ramban district, a point highly prone to shooting stones.
He said this stretch at Panthyal was the most problematic because of the shooting stones, now it would put an end to the problem of shooting stones and subsequent disruptions in traffic movement.
DC Ramban said this T5 was the fourth tunnel dedicated to the public by the NHAI, while several other small tunnels and bridges are nearing completion which will bypass other critical spots on the highway.
The four-lane project of the 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, started in 2011.Three tunnels ranging in length from 400 to 800 metres were to be built as part of the realignment package between Ramban and Banihal to bypass crucial stretches of the route.
Apart from T5 tunnel, the NHAI will also come up with two tubes of 16.6km length between Ramban and Digdol (up to Sher Bibi) and then connect it with a viaduct with Banihal expressway.
Earlier on Wednesday, NHAI spokesman said Pavement Quality Concrete work has started in the 925-meter-long Tunnel T1 from Peerah to Kunfer in the Udhampur-Ramban section of NH-44 in J&K.
“The tunnel will reduce the distance of this section by 2.98 km and is expected to be commissioned by 31st March’23, ” he said.
