Policy planners are seized with the idea of revolutionising connectivity network in the mountainous State of Jammu and Kashmir. The need of connectivity has received attention of policy planners on priority basis and this has led to the concept of tunnelling the lofty mountains at places where possible. Long back Jawahar Tunnel linking Banihal with Qazigund was considered the first and last attempt of shortening the distance between Jammu and Srinagar. But after undertaking the railway connection between Jammu and the Valley, scope for focussing on tunnels in the mountains increased considerably.
Jammu-Srinagar connectivity has been taken care of by undertaking rail and four-lane road connectivity projects. Attention is now diverted to make Srinagar-Leh road link accessible throughout the year by piercing the mountains. Ladakh remains cut off from the rest of the country for 6 – 7 months in a year owing to heavy snowfall and closure of the road. The administration is obliged to make stock pile of essential commodities in the snow-bound areas of Kargil and Ladakh districts for 9-12 months. The quality and standard of life is reduced owing to non-connectivity for pretty long time in a year. Besides that, Ladakh is a sensitive area in terms of security and military installations. These are the compulsions that have forced policy planners to focus on tunnelling the mountains so that the road to Ladakh remains open throughout the year and men and material move without hindrance.
To make the Srinagar-Leh an all-weather road, Border Roads Organization (BRO) had proposed two tunnels, one at Z-Morh between Sonamarg and Gagangir, and another at Zozila. The Cabinet Committee for Infrastructure met recently and accorded sanction to the Z-Morh tunnel. The Union Ministry of Surface Transport and Highways has already approved the construction of the Zozila tunnel connecting Kashmir Valley with Ladakh. The Z-Morh tunnel which has received sanction will be 6.5 kilometres long and will be constructed at a cost of 2717 crore rupees. In the second phase of Srinagar-Leh connectivity, 12 kms long Zozila tunnel will be undertaken. With the completion of two projects, Kargil and Ladakh regions will come out of isolation and will remain connected to Srinagar throughout the year. It will be a historic moment for Ladakh to be connected with Srinagar through a year round road never to be blocked by heavy snowfall. It will revolutionize the economy of the region and drastically change the life style of the people. Round the year connectivity will have healthy impact on all walks of life, education, healthcare, tourism, in particular. The projects are bound to create employment for the locals and especially the labour force. The 2717 crore plan has the provision of 36.48 crore rupees for expenditure on land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement of dislocated persons, and pre-constructions expenditures.
This apart, the BRO is planning to build at least five more tunnels to link different regions of the State which remain out of bounds during the harsh winter. The Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Transport, Qamar Ali Akhoon, had said the Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been submitted to the Union Ministry in March. The tunnel is part of the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan (PMRP). The other tunnelling projects are mostly in South Kashmir including Kishtwar region so that its connectivity with South Kashmir is facilitated. Similarly two tunnels are also under consideration in the district of Kupwara, one in Shamsbari Mountains and the other in Gurez region. These are ambitious projects and will be taken in hand at their proper time.
The basic concept is to do away with the isolationist geography of entire Jammu and Kashmir State and establish new and modern network of connectivity so that the economy of the State is given tremendous boost. Next one decade will see tunnelling programme taking the front row of government’s developmental priorities. The good thing is that the Centre is taking keen interest in widening the roads network in J&K which is a big step towards its economic stability. A major phase of connectivity programme is to extend rail link to the remote border towns of Rajouri and Poonch. That is also an economically weaker region and needs to be given full attention.
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