Centre approves construction of Mughal Road tunnel

Srinagar, Jun 23: The Centre approved the construction of the Peer Ki Gali tunnel on the Mughal Road, paving the way for an all-weather alternative to the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44), which frequently shuts during winter.

The project will bolster regional connectivity and reduce travel time between Kashmir and the twin Poonch and Rajouri of the Pir Panjal region.

The 84-km Mughal Road, which connects Shopian in south Kashmir to Poonch via the Pir Panjal mountains, is currently only operational during summer months due to heavy snowfall, especially at Peer Ki Gali and Bafliaz.

With the tunnel now approved, the long-stalled project is expected to move into the construction phase.

The tunnel, estimated to cost around Rs 3830 crore, is being seen as a critical alternative to NH-44, which is prone to landslides and closures during harsh weather.

The announcement along with other key projects was made Monday by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the Centreís decision and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari for approving the project.

ìIn a major achievement, my government has got Rs 10,600 crores worth of road and tunnel projects approved by the Union Government. Iím grateful to PM @narendramodi ji & Minister @MORTHIndia @nitin_gadkari ji for their continued support as we try to steer J&K on a path of progress, development & connectivity,î he posted on microblogging site X.

The residents on both sides of the Pir Panjal range expressed hope that the tunnel would finally address their travel woes and end their winter isolation.

ìOur demand for this tunnel is decades old,î said Muhammad Rafiq, a schoolteacher from Poonch. ìWe have heard many promises. Now we hope this time it will be built.î

Ajaz Ahmad, a scribe from Shopian, said the tunnel would also boost trade, tourism, and regional development.

Although conceptualised several decades ago, the 84-km Shopian-Poonch Mughal Road was thrown open to light vehicular traffic in 2009.

Despite promises by successive governments, the tunnel remained on paper.

The project was highlighted in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition governmentís Common Minimum Programme in 2015 and repeatedly discussed with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) had initially entrusted the preparation of the DPR for road upgradation to Rodic Consultants Pvt Ltd in collaboration with Madrid-based Getinsa-Euroestudios.

NHIDCL also assigned Samit Pvt Ltd to prepare the DPR for the tunnel itself.

The consultancy has pegged the estimated cost of the project at around Rs 5000 crore.

Even as NHIDCL prepared DPRs for the upgradation of the road, and started the process of the preparation for the tunnel, it continued to be managed Mughal Road Division of R&B,

Officials had said the tunnel DPR work involved complex geotechnical challenges and would require specialised expertise.

However, the project was recently handed over to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

Earlier, the project gained momentum after Union Minister Nitin Gadkari reiterated his commitment in early 2023.

The DPR process for the road upgradation and tunnel was formally initiated in 2019, but bureaucratic delays and agency reshuffles stalled progress until now.

With the Centreís approval, officials and locals alike are hopeful that construction will begin soon, fulfilling a long-cherished goal of establishing a reliable, all-season link between Kashmir and the Pir Panjal region.

Other key sanctioned projects besides Peer Ki Gali tunnel include the Sadhna Tunnel, the ZaznarñShopian section of NH-701A, a four-lane flyover from Lal Chowk to Parimpora, the Trehgam-Chamkote section of NH-701, a four-lane flyover at Magam on the Narbal-Gulmarg section, the Qazigund Bypass, and several other vital road developments.