SRINAGAR: With an eye on developing road infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir and connecting remote areas, the Centre is working on projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore and is planning to invest another Rs 1.50 lakh crore in next two years.
“We have had extensive meetings with businesses and locals and creating roads and tunnels are on our top priority. Currently projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore is one of various tunnels and highway projects and we will be investing about Rs 1.5 lakh crore to create tunnels of 30 km in J&k and another 20 km in Leh and Laddakh in next two years. This will be critical for the socio- economic turnover of the state,” Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road, Transport and Highways, said on Tuesday.
He was here to review the progress of Zojila tunnel and Z-Morh tunnel projects and has asked the authorities to complete the work before 2024 polls, almost a year ahead of deadline. “I am satisfied with the speed of the construction and have told the authorities to complete the construction of the approaching tunnels before May 2024, so that we can show that we have achieved here,” Gadkari said, while addressing a press conference after inspecting work progress on Zojila and Z-Morh tunnel.
Zojila tunnel, now being developed by Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd. (MEIL) after taken over by the government from the IL&FS, is a strategic project, providing all weather connectivity to the Union Territory of Ladakh. The project is worth Rs 4,600 crore.
The project will provide all-weather connectivity to the Union Territory of Ladakh, which is otherwise cut off during winters. Once this tunnel completes, travelling between Ladakh and Srinagar can be possible throughout the year. The present travelling time between these cities is 3:30 hours and after the tunnel it will be 15 minutes, the minister claimed.
Z-Morh tunnel would connect Srinagar to Sonamarg during winter months, which is generally cut off from Kashmir for six months. The tunnel project is being developed at a cost of Rs 2,300 crore. Gadkari added that the government is working on many key highway projects in the region, including Leh-Srinagar highway and linking of Himachal from Leh-Laddakh. “Once the road network is open, economy will open. Many hotels and hospitality companies have shown interest. In next five years you will see the transformation,” he added.