Alternative Highway to Doda

The Centre and the State both are seized of improving road connectivity from Jammu to Kashmir and then to Ladakh. The realization that streamlining of the highway including exploration of new routes that would be safer and less time consuming is also under the consideration of the Government. The fact of the matter is that emergence of armed insurgency and its wide reach especially in mountainous areas has made policy planners to think positively and seriously about how communication safety between the Centre and Srinagar can be improved. The long standing demand of the people of Doda and Kishtwar has been that the existing Highway is unsafe owing to the Baglihar Dam. Chunks of this Highway are seriously vulnerable and have even caved in in the past. The Sudmahadev – Marmat-Doda link which will also join the Simthan link will prove a safer and more dependable Highway in comparison to present link. The good news is that the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways has approved the long pending proposal and consequently directed the Chief Engineer to float the tender for DPR for the alternate Highway. With this project, there will be tremendous improvement in the economic life of the people of the region or what is called Chenab Valley.
We appreciate the decision of the Union Government to take up the project. But what we apprehend is that such important projects should be completed according to time schedule and should not be left half way for one reason or the other. People of the region will highly appreciate the decision because this was what was promised to them during assembly election.

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