Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 31: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has not given its consent for construction of very significant National Highway proposed by the Union Ministry for Road and Surface Transport along holy cave shrine of Shri Amarnath ji in South Kashmir Himalayas linking Baltal-Panchtarni-Chandanwari-Pahalgam-Batkut-Martand-Khanabal.
The Highway was among a total of eight new National Highways proposed by the Central Government in June last year. The Centre had to bear entire cost of the National Highway, which would have benefited the pilgrims of Shri Amarnath ji shrine a lot among others.
Official sources told the Excelsior that out of eight new National Highways proposed in Jammu and Kashmir nearly an year ago by Union Minister for Roads and Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari, seven were in advanced stage of starting construction while there has been absolutely no progress on the eighth Highway linking parts of holy Amarnath ji yatra track, which had been named as NH No. 501 by the Government of India, whose construction would have provided a big relief to lakhs of pilgrims, who visit holy cave shrine of Baba Amarnath ji every year trekking large distance from traditional Chandanwari track (42 kilometers) and shorter Baltal track (14 kilometers) in addition to the local population.
Confirming that the State Government has denied its consent to the National Highway No. 501 linking Baltal-Panchtarni-Chandanwari-Pahalgam-Batakut-Martand-Khanabal, sources said the reasons cited by the State Government in denying permission to the religiously very significant National Highway were thick forest cover falling in the areas from where the Highway would pass.
“The Government had cited environmental reasons in denying consent for construction of the National Highway,” sources said, adding it was of the view that a large number of green trees would have to be cut for construction of the National Highway.
As far as construction of seven other National Highways was concerned, sources said, the Government had given its consent and they were at advanced stage of initiating construction work like floating tenders for construction, acquirement of land, preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) etc and work on some of them was expected to start soon after completion of the requisite formalities.
The proposed National Highway No. 501 was aimed at linking Baltal, the base camp of Shri Amarnath ji shrine and Chandanwari-Pahalgam, the second base camp of the yatra from traditional route up to Panchtarni, where the helicopters, taking pilgrims from Baltal and Pahalgam, land at present.
As the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva is located about five kilometers from Panchtarni, the construction of new Highway would have made the pilgrimage very smooth for lakhs of yatris, who visit the shrine every year for darshan of holy Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva.
“The National highway would have taken pilgrims right up to Panchtarni from either route-Baltal or Pahalgam and they had to trek only five kilometers to reach the cave shrine reducing four days long journey (to and fro) from traditional Pahalgam track to just a day,” sources said, adding similarly the very tough terrain which the pilgrims had to trek from Baltal to Panchtarni would also have been covered by the road.
Moreover another religious town of Martand would also have been covered by the new National Highway.
The Centre had promised 100 per cent funding for all eight National Highways in Jammu and Kashmir including Baltal-Panchtarni-Chandanwari-Pahalgam-Batakut-Martand-Khanabal.
Of seven remaining Highways, three had been approved for Jammu region and two each for Kashmir and Ladakh regions.
Three new Highways approved in Jammu included Domail-Katra-Reasi-Pouni, which has been named as NH No. 144, Jammu-Akhnoor-Nowshera-Rajouri-Poonch, which had been named as NH No. 144-A and Batote-Chenani-Sudh Mahadev-Khelani-Doda-Kishtwar-Synthan-Khanabal, which will be called as NH No. 244.
Two new Highways approved in Ladakh region were Kargil-Zanskar in Kargil district, which had been named as NH No. 301 and Leh-Debring-Mulden in Leh district, which had been named as NH No. 3.
Two new Highways approved for the Kashmir valley were Baramulla-Rafiabad-Kupwara-Tanghdar, which had been named as NH No. 701 and Srinagar-Shopian-Qazigund, which will be called as NH No. 444.
Sources said the new Highways had been approved after a study spanning over six months to improve road infrastructure in pilgrim and border towns and backward areas of the State, where there was very poor road network and existing roads were unable to cater to ever increasing vehicular movement.
Domail-Katra-Reasi-Pouni road was in worst condition notwithstanding the fact that Katra and Reasi attract huge rush of pilgrims, which sometimes touch to as high as 35,000 to 40,000 per day for Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine (in Katra) and Shiv Khori shrine (in Reasi). Sources said if the State Government constructs link road between Pouni to Bhambla, the upcoming Highway will directly connect to Rajouri and Poonch.
Similarly, Jammu-Akhnoor-Nowshera-Rajouri-Poonch Highway could also link to Srinagar via Mughal Road if the existing road between Poonch to Bafliaz is widened. Though the Centre has already declared widening of Jammu-Akhnoor road, the granting of National Highway status to it would mean that the State Government didn’t have to incur any expenditure on it.
Batote-Chenani-Sudh Mahadev-Khelani-Doda-Kishtwar-Sinthan-Khanabal Highway has become need of the hour following report by the Geological experts that existing Batote-Kishtwar Highway won’t survive long and would become part of the history due to sinking road.
Similarly, sources said, Kargil-Zanskar and Leh-Debring-Mulden National Highways in Ladakh region would go long way in strengthening road network in hilly, backward and border areas of the region. The Centre has been trying hard to take road network to the areas bordering China and Pakistan in Ladakh. The declaration of two more Highways in the region was part of the strategic plan.
Sources said Kupwara and Tanghdar areas in the Kashmir valley had extremely bad poor network and linking them with National Highway from Baramulla and Rafiabad will connect the towns to Srinagar.
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