Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 15: The former Chief Minister and president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti today said that she has not witnessed any progress on the vital projects in Jammu and Kashmir that were promised by Transport and Highway Minister, Nitin Gadkari when she was the CM.
She said that she was promised by the Minister about construction of various tunnel projects.
“I reminded Gadkari Sahab about my request during my tenure as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir to construct several tunnels, including the Sadna Tunnel, Rajdhani Tunnel, and most importantly, the Mughal Road Tunnel,” she said.
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Mehbooba said: “He had assured me that work on these projects would commence. However, despite the significant improvements in road and tunnel infrastructure over the years across the country, I have not witnessed any progress on these vital projects in Jammu and Kashmir”.
“Today, I once again brought to his attention the significance of the Mughal Road Tunnel. The only national highway connecting the valley with Jammu and the rest of the country often gets closed due to landslides and bad weather. This causes major losses, like the incident last year when many trucks carrying apples were stranded, resulting in significant economic damage,” she said.
“With only one road available, the construction of the Mughal Road Tunnel, envisioned by the late Mufti Sahab, becomes essential to ensure all-weather connectivity and smooth transportation of our fruits and other goods. Not everyone can afford air travel, and a vast majority of people rely on road transportation. Hence, the tunnel would not only bolster our economy but also facilitate convenient travel for our people,” she said.
“Moreover, the tunnel would connect regions like Rajouri and Poonch. By constructing the Razdhan and Kupwara tunnels, our Kupwara area would remain connected throughout the year, benefiting areas such as Guraz and Tangdar,” she added.
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