Work on 4 tunnels near Jagti in progress
*Major relief in City traffic jams after June 2026
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 18: With the commissioning of Jammu Ring Road Project worth Rs 2674 crores by June this year, the winter capital city will have major relief from the massive traffic jams.
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This nearly 56 kms highway, a mix of 6 & 4-Lane from Raya Morh, in district Samba, will connect National Highway-44 near Jagti in Nagrota, about 14 kms ahead of Jammu, towards Katra/Srinagar highway. More than 60% of the vehicles moving from Lakhanpur, Kathua and Samba etc. towards Kashmir, Katra Mata Vaishnodevi, Doda- Kishtwar and even towards the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, are expected to use this highway for free movement, reducing volume of traffic on Jammu City roads. Not only heavy vehicles/ load carriers, even the medium and light vehicles will also prefer using this highway while moving towards their destinations, beyond Jammu.
Official sources said that the work on this highway was started during 2018 and three years target was given to the contractor agency by the National Highway Authority of India (NHIA), but the work could not be completed even after seven years. M/s Gaytari Constructions had secured the tender for the execution of work. However, two twin tunnels (Total 4), having total length of 3.1 kms are being constructed by M/s Bharat Constructions with the project cost of Rs 650 crores, sources said.
While some senior officials of the NHAI attribute the delay in completion to the lock down due to COVID and land acquisition process, the sources said that apart from land acquisition and Bharat Constructions faced some trouble in tunneling work as muck and rocks were falling down from a few portions from inside the longer tunnel of 780 mt length near Jagti. Perhaps during soil testing some indicators were over looked by the agency. The length of the second twin tunnel is nearly 700 mts. The agency, however, claims to have resolved the tunnel issue by taking help from the experts from outside.
Project Director (PD), National Highway Authority of India (NHIA), Jammu, Rajiv Kumar when contacted said that work on nearly 56 km Jammu Ring Road, from Raya Morh to Jagti, near IIM in Nagrota, connecting National Highway 44 (Jmu-Sgr NH) is nearing completion. He said about 95 % of the work has been completed. Now, hardly 5 kms work near Jagti in Nagrota is left.
Replying to a question, the Project Director said two tunnels are almost complete some approach roads are left. By June this year third tunnel will also be completed. The remaining one tunnel, where some problem had been faced while initiating tunneling work by the company, will also be completed by August or maximum by, September 2026. He said Bharat Construction Company has been allotted the tunnel works worth Rs 650 crores. The company is expecting nearly Rs 200 crores savings.
Though initially when the work was allotted, the total project cost was Rs 2024 crores, but with the passage of time, the cost escalated and the contractor refused to work on this cost. He said M/s Gayatri Constructions was allotted the Ring Road construction work while M/s Bharat Constructions secured the tunnel project. Two tunnels of 780 mt length and two tunnels of about 700 mt length are being constructed on this road. Work on the approach roads of these tunnels is in progress, he informed.
The NHAI Project Director further disclosed that Automatic Traffic Management System (ATMS) is being installed on this road which will also monitor the speed limit of the vehicles besides other violations as well. When asked about the reason behind the delay of about five years in the completion of this project, the Project Director said the work on the project was started during 2018, but during 2019 a lockdown was imposed by the Government due to COVID, the work was delayed for more than one year. Land acquisition process also consumed much time. The company faced trouble during tunneling work in one of the four tunnels due to some loose soil inside. That problem has now been sorted out, he said.
Responding to another question, the Project Director said with the commissioning of this road, about 60-65% reduction in the City traffic volume is expected. All those vehicles, moving from Lakhanpur (Kathua) side towards Kashmir, Rajouri-Poonch, Katra Mata Vaishnodevi or even Akhnoor-Khour etc will prefer to use this road. Rajouri-Poonch and Akhnoor bound vehicles are already using this road and have reduced pressure on the City roads to some extent. Moreover, with the completion of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, the pressure of traffic on the Jammu City roads will further reduce. With these roads, there will be a big relief to the Winter Capital City roads from the traffic jams and heavy traffic volume, the Project Director added.
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