Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, announced on Monday (17 June, 2024) that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will soon begin the Rs 4,000-crore Chattergala tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir.
This decision came after Gadkari chaired a review meeting attended by Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office.
“The prestigious Chhatergala tunnel work, costing about Rs 4,000 crore, will be executed by the NHAI, and the underpasses on the Kathua express corridor section, wherever demanded by the public, will be undertaken at the earliest,” an official spokesperson said after the review meeting.
In the meeting, Singh expressed gratitude to Gadkari for approving many of the suggestions and ideas he presented.
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He mentioned that the tunnel proposal originated approximately six years ago, and although the Border Roads Organisation had prepared a detailed project report, the project couldn’t kick off due to funding constraints.
Now, it has been decided that the NHAI will be responsible for constructing the new national highway from Lakhanpur to Basohli-Bani to Bhaderwah-Doda.
Further Singh said that once this highway is completed, it will have a significant impact on the region by providing year-round connectivity from Lakhanpur to the Doda district, passing through popular tourist destinations like Basohli and Bani.
This will not only shorten travel duration but also promote business activities, create job opportunities, and improve revenue generation.
Also Read: Road Ministry to Introduce GNSS-based Electronic Toll Collection on Highways Soon
Reflecting on the approval process of the Delhi-Katra express corridor, Singh highlighted initial delays due to Punjab’s request for a similar corridor between Delhi and Amritsar in 2015.
Eventually, a compromise was reached, resulting in the construction of the express corridor that connects Delhi and Katra, with stops in Amritsar and Kathua, thus finalizing the project.
Singh confirmed that the corridor is now in its final construction phase and expressed satisfaction that the public’s requests for underpasses in areas such as Hatli, Rajbagh, Chann Arorian, Chapper, and Kootah had been addressed to benefit the local communities.
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