Zojila, NHs’ work to be launched simultaneously
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu and Kashmir in May this year to lay foundation of series of developmental projects, majority of those being executed under Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), and attend a function of Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (SKUAST) in Kashmir.
This will be Modi’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir in a little over a year. He had inaugurated Chenani-Nashri tunnel in Udhampur district on April 2, 2017 and later addressed a public rally in Udhampur.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir in May is certain but the exact date will be worked out after obtaining reports from the Civil Aviation Ministry as to when the special helicopters used for flying the Prime Minister, will be able to land at Zojila as he is also scheduled to lay foundation stone of Zojila tunnel during his visit to provide all weather road connectivity to strategically sensitive Ladakh region.
“The Prime Minister will be attending SKUAST function in Kashmir on the invitation of Governor N N Vohra,” sources said, adding that Modi will also lay foundation stone of Zojila tunnel, which is a very significant project and was recently approved by the Union Cabinet at the cost of Rs 6809 crore.
This will be for the first time that the Prime Minister will attend a function in any Kashmir University.
He will lay foundation of some other important projects including National Highways of Jammu-Akhnoor, which will be later further extended to Rajouri and Poonch, Sudhmahadev-Pul Doda-Kishtwar, Kargil-Zanskar and two similar Highway projects of Valley. The foundation of all road projects could be laid from one place.
Sources said the Health and Medical Education Ministry of Jammu and Kashmir was also trying to get all formalities cleared in the month of April to facilitate foundation stone laying ceremony of two All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Vijaypur in Samba district of Jammu region and Awantipora in Pulwama district of South Kashmir. Sources, however, said that certain land issues at Vijaypur could delay the project. A final decision on whether the Prime Minister will lay foundation of the AIIMS would be taken before his visit after the review of land acquirement and other facilities needed to start work on the prestigious health projects.
“Modi could visit all three regions of the State for different functions. While his participation in the function of SKUAST in Kashmir and laying foundation of Zojila tunnel in Kargil district of Ladakh region was confirmed, it would be seen which spot the Government selects for foundation laying ceremony of other developmental works at one place,” sources said, adding that the schedule and date of the Prime Minister’s visit will be finalized once the landing of helicopters at Zojila is approved by the Civil Aviation Minister though this can be done any time in the month of May when the snow melts to quite an extent and weather opens up.
The Union Cabinet had on January 4, 2018 approved the construction of a 14.2 km tunnel in Zojila, to provide all-weather connectivity between Ladakh and rest of the country, while also giving a strategic edge to the armed forces in the region, where India shares Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
The project, said to be Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel, is estimated to cost Rs 6,809-crore. The tunnel is estimated to be completed in seven years.
The region of Ladakh remains cut off from the rest of the country during the winter months due to heavy snowfall. This tunnel will not only provide all-weather connectivity for the first time, but will also be of strategic value to the armed forces.
Situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway, Zojila remains closed from December to April due to heavy snowfall and avalanches, cutting off the Ladakh region from Kashmir. The site where the tunnel is planned sees minimum temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius, making construction work difficult. While the tunnel plan was first mooted about two decades ago, it could not take off.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways through the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), said officials.
Similarly, the construction of Jammu-Akhnoor stretch of Jammu-Poonch National Highway via Rajouri district has been long pending demand of the people especially in Jammu and Kashmir as this 26-kilometer stretch of the road is heavily congested especially up to Domana and Mishriwalla due to huge traffic on the road, many a times leading to several mishaps.
The Centre has already approved Rs 5100 under the Prime Minister’s Development Package for Jammu-Poonch Highway, which, apart from helping the local people, too has very strategic significance.
Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Pul Doda-Kishtwar new National Highway is being constructed as existing Doda-Kishtwar National Highway was virtually sinking and has very few years of life span left. The new highway is also being constructed under the PMDP.
Kargil-Zanskar National Highway and two other National Highway in the Valley are also part of the PMDP.
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