Union MoS Shri Ajay Tamta reviews J&K highway projects, highlights 12-year infrastructure overhaul
JAMMU, JUNE 16 (PTK): Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Ajay Tamta, concluded a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir after undertaking an extensive inspection of key National Highway projects and chairing a high-level review meeting at the Convention Centre, Jammu.
During the visit, the Minister travelled along the entire Srinagar–Jammu section of NH-44 and inspected the Qazigund–Banihal and Chenani–Nashri tunnels, the landslide-prone Ramban–Banihal stretch and the ongoing Srinagar and Jammu Ring Road projects being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). He also reviewed the Chenani–Sudhmahadev stretch and the proposed Sudhmahadev–Dranga tunnel alignment under NHIDCL.
Senior officers of NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO, PWD and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways accompanied him during the inspections.
The review meeting was attended by Members of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma and Sat Pal Sharma, MLAs Chandra Prakash Ganga, Yudhvir Sethi, Vikram Randhawa, Arvind Gupta and Surendra Bhagat, besides senior officials from all highway agencies.
Officials briefed the Minister on the progress of ongoing and upcoming projects funded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and being executed by NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO and PWD across the Union Territory.
Highlighting the transformation in road infrastructure since 2014, Shri Ajay Tamta said Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed unprecedented development in connectivity. He said projects worth nearly ₹1.35 lakh crore have been taken up during this period. Of these, 700 kilometres of highways worth ₹20,000 crore have been completed, 2,300 kilometres worth ₹50,000 crore are under construction and DPRs for another 707 kilometres worth ₹65,000 crore are under preparation.
The Minister said tunnel construction has remained a major focus area. While only five tunnels existed in Jammu and Kashmir before 2014, the Jammu–Srinagar corridor alone now has 25 tunnels, of which 20 have been completed and five are under construction.
He said strategic projects such as the Zojila Tunnel, Digdol–Khooni Nallah, Sungal, Bhimber Gali, Sinthan Pass, Sudhmahadev, Sadhna Pass, Peer Ki Gali and the parallel Chenani–Nashri alignment will ensure reliable year-round connectivity.
The meeting was informed that the ₹16,000-crore Jammu–Udhampur–Srinagar four-lane corridor has achieved 95 percent progress. Once completed, it will reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar from nine hours to about four hours and shorten the distance by nearly 70 kilometres.
The Minister was informed that four high-speed corridors worth ₹50,000 crore, including Jammu–Udhampur–Srinagar, Jammu–Chenani–Anantnag, Srinagar–Baramulla–Uri and Jammu–Akhnoor, are currently under construction and are expected to significantly improve connectivity to the Kashmir Valley, Chenab Valley, Rajouri-Poonch, North Kashmir and border areas.
The 670-kilometre Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Greenfield Expressway, costing ₹41,000 crore, will further strengthen pilgrimage connectivity. Within Jammu and Kashmir, 143 kilometres of the expressway worth ₹11,500 crore are expected to be completed by August 2027.
The meeting also reviewed progress on urban mobility projects, including the 104-kilometre Srinagar Ring Road and the 58-kilometre Jammu Ring Road, while DPR work is underway for the proposed 33-kilometre Eastern Jammu Ring Road.
Future infrastructure plans include DPRs for 707 kilometres of highways worth ₹65,000 crore, including the Katra–Srinagar High-Speed Corridor, Rafiabad–Kupwara–Tangdhar route with Sadhna Tunnel, Surankote–Bufliaz–Doodhpathri–Magam corridor with Peer Ki Gali Tunnel, Samba–Mansar–Udhampur four-laning, Srinagar–Sonamarg–Gumri corridor and new service roads and underpasses along the Srinagar–Qazigund stretch.
The meeting was further informed that DPRs are being prepared for 60 kilometres of Amarnath Yatra road projects worth ₹3,500 crore. The ₹880-crore Katra Intermodal Station will integrate rail, road and heli-services for pilgrims visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi.
Additionally, 54 ropeway proposals worth ₹30,000 crore have been received, with eight projects worth ₹16,000 crore proposed in the first phase at locations including Shri Amarnath Ji Cave, Shankaracharya Temple, Thajiwas Glacier, Bhadarwah, Sanasar and Doodhpathri.
The Minister appreciated the work carried out by all executing agencies and directed officials to ensure timely completion of projects while maintaining quality, safety and public convenience.
He said the infrastructure push of the last 12 years has transformed Jammu and Kashmir from difficult and disrupted connectivity to a modern, all-weather, high-speed and integrated transport network, which will significantly boost tourism, pilgrimage, trade, defence logistics and overall socio-economic development in the Union Territory.(PTK)
