Union MoS Shri Ajay Tamta reviews J&K highway projects, highlights 12 year infrastructure overhaul

JAMMU: Union Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways Shri Ajay Tamta wrapped up a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday after an extensive inspection of key National Highway projects followed by a high-level review meeting held at the Convention Centre, Jammu yesterday.

During the visit, the MoS travelled the entire Srinagar–Jammu section of NH-44, inspecting 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 NHAI. He also assessed the Chenani–Sudhmahadev stretch and the proposed Sudhmahadev–Dranga tunnel alignment under NHIDCL.

Senior officers of NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO, PWD and MoRTH accompanied him during the field inspections. The review meeting was attended by Members 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.

The officials briefed the Minister on the progress of ongoing and upcoming works funded by MoRTH, covering projects being executed by NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO and PWD across the Union Territory.

Highlighting the shift since 2014, Shri Ajay Tamta said that Jammu and Kashmir has undergone an “unprecedented transformation” in road and transport infrastructure. Before 2014, highway development in the region was limited, with difficult terrain, frequent landslides and poor all-weather connectivity. Since then, works worth nearly ₹1.35 lakh crore have been taken up. Of this, 700 km worth ₹20,000 crore have been completed, 2,300 km worth ₹50,000 crore are under construction and DPRs for another 707 km worth ₹65,000 crore are being prepared.

He said that tunnel construction has been a major focus and only five tunnels existed in J&K before 2014. Today, the Jammu–Srinagar corridor alone has 25 tunnels with 20 completed and five under construction, he added. 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 are expected to ensure reliable, year-round connectivity.

The meeting was informed that ₹16,000-crore Jammu–Udhampur–Srinagar four-lane corridor has achieved 95 percent progress. Once complete, it will cut the travel time between Jammu and Srinagar from nine hours to about four hours and reduce the distance by nearly 70 km. Tunnels, viaducts, bypasses and landslide protection measures are turning the NH-44 into a safer all-weather route. To further strengthen resilience, works worth ₹230 crore are being taken up at 15 vulnerable locations between Udhampur and Banihal, while bypasses worth ₹600 crore have already been completed at Banihal, Ramban, Ashajipora, Seri and Makarkote.

Four high-speed corridors worth ₹50,000 crore including Jammu–Udhampur–Srinagar, Jammu–Chenani–Anantnag, Srinagar–Baramulla–Uri and Jammu–Akhnoor are under construction. These will improve the access to the Kashmir Valley, Chenab Valley, Rajouri–Poonch, North Kashmir and key border areas, aiding the tourism, trade and defence mobility. The 670-km Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Greenfield Expressway, costing ₹41,000 crore, will also strengthen the pilgrimage connectivity. Within J&K, 143 km of the expressway worth ₹11,500 crore is slated for completion by August 2027, reducing Delhi–Katra distance by 58 km.

The meeting was further told that the urban mobility is being addressed through ring roads. The 104-km Srinagar Ring Road, costing ₹7,200 crore, will divert through traffic from the city and improve links to Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Gurez, Kargil and Leh. The 58-km Jammu Ring Road is nearing completion with 53 km already operational while DPR work is underway for the 33-km Eastern Jammu Ring Road.

The next phase includes DPRs for 707 km of highways worth ₹65,000 crore. Key upcoming projects are the 125-km Katra–Srinagar High-Speed Corridor, the Rafiabad–Kupwara–Tangdhar route with Sadhna Tunnel, the 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 on the Srinagar–Qazigund stretch.

It was informed in the meeting that Pilgrimage and tourism infrastructure has also received attention. DPRs are being prepared for 60 km of Amarnath Yatra road works worth ₹3,500 crore. The ₹880-crore Katra Intermodal Station will integrate rail, road and heli-services for devotees visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. Additionally, 54 ropeway proposals worth ₹30,000 crore have been received, with eight projects worth ₹16,000 crore to be taken up in the first phase at sites including Shri Amarnath Ji Cave, Shankaracharya Temple, Thajiwas Glacier, Bhadarwah, Sanasar and Doodhpathri.

The MoS appreciated the work of all agencies and directed the officials to complete the projects within stipulated timelines while maintaining quality, safety and public convenience. He said the infrastructure push of the last 12 years has moved Jammu and Kashmir “from difficult and disrupted connectivity to modern, all-weather, high-speed and integrated transport.” The projects, he added, will boost tourism, pilgrimage, industry, defence logistics and overall socio-economic growth in the Union Territory.