Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 28: Despite harsh and extreme weather conditions, Project Beacon of Border Roads Organization (BRO) today said it managed to keep open the strategic Jawahar Tunnel on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway for 20 days during the month of January this year.
Chief Engineer BEACONBrigadier A K Dass said that the organization has once again proved its mettle by keeping the Jawahar Tunnel open for traffic for maximum duration of time over the last 20 days despite heavy snowfall on the either side of the tunnel. He said that the BEACON team is working hard to ensure that the tunnel is through for the traffic.
“AEE (E&M) Deepak Chaubey is permanently stationed at Jawahar Tunnel. He along with his team has worked relentlessly to ensure that this vital link to Kashmir valley is kept open by cleaning the snow on the road stretch (KM 189.7 at Banihal to KM 220 at Qazigund) entrusted to BRO,” said Brigadier Dass.
The Chief Engineer said that this year the pattern of snowfall has been prolonged with the area of Jawahar Tunnel witnessing three spells of heavy snowfall, each lasting for around three days. He said while the first two spells witnessed accumulation of around two feet of snow, it was around five feet during the third spell.
“To make the matters worse, there was a major avalanche at Shaitani Nallah. During the earlier two spells, the road was cleared within one hour of its closure due to snowfall. During the third spell, owing to higher accumulation of snow on the road and the avalanche in Shaitani Nallah the tunnel was closed for one day only,” said Brigadier Dass.
The Chief Engineer said that the clearance of road on both sides of the tunnel is undertaken 24 x 7 by the BEACON personnel while braving harsh weather due to extreme snow and windy conditions. He said that the Project Beacon has received support from the traffic police as well as the civil administration.
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