Mughal Road, Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel work to begin soon: DG BRO, NHIDCL assure Mian Altaf

Jammu, Dec 11: In what could be a major relief for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the work on the two critical and vital road tunnels is expected to commence soon.

The assurance about this was made by the higher officials of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to the Member of Parliament Anantnag-Rajouri, Mian Altaf Ahmad.

The MP met the Director General of BRO in New Delhi and took up the issue of delay in the construction of the vital Mughal Road tunnel and other important roads and highways overseen by the BRO.

In a statement issued here, Altaf said that the DG BRO assured that the Mughal Road tunnel would be constructed soon.

He said that the long-awaited work of the tunnel on the Mughal Road was expected to be taken up soon, marking a significant step towards improving the connectivity between south Kashmir and the Poonch and Rajouri areas of the Pir Panjal region.

Altaf said that the Mughal Road, the oldest route of historical significance, had long been plagued by seasonal closures due to heavy snowfall and adverse weather conditions.

“These closures not only disrupt vehicular traffic but also impact socio-economic activities and trade between the two regions,” he said.

Altaf also raised the issue of various roads along the Jammu-Poonch highway.

“The DG BRO assured that the road from Akhnoor to Sunderbani and from Manjakote to Poonch will be completed on priority besides expediting the work on Thanamandi- Bafliaz road. The DG also assured that the work on the Manjakot tunnel will be taken up,” he said.

In a separate meeting with the senior officers of the NHIDCL in New Delhi, the MP raised the issue of delay in the construction of the Vailoo-Singpora tunnel and demanded that the construction work be started on this crucial project.

Altaf said that the NHIDCL officials assured him that the work on the tunnel construction would commence soon.

The MP said that the tunnel, which would start at Ahlan in the Vailoo area of Kokernag in Anantnag would bypass a treacherous stretch connecting it with Chatroo in Kishtwar and shorten the distance between the two districts.

“It will also provide an alternative to the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and help in averting frequent road accidents in Chenab Valley,” he said. “The tunnel will also give a fillip to tourism in the region.”