Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed the view early last year that his efforts are afoot to connect Kashmir “emotionally and physically” with rest of the country, Qazigund-Banihal double tube tunnel, a four lane modern tunnel fitted with all required safety and security norms and a state of art ABB ventilation system is a giant step towards that direction. This project which could safely be termed as a major prestigious mega project or a project of “integration” was undertaken in late 2011 in a place with full challenges, both geographical and other ones related to the prevailing position from time to time. Started in 2011 , it was slated to have been completed by 2018 after failing to adhere to timelines four times. With the calculations of the speed of the work on it , it is likely to miss the 5th deadline also.
In fact, this project of a 8. 45 km long tunnel is one among various plans of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) aimed at four-laning of Jammu Srinagar National Highway so that the travelling time in respect of the distance between the two capital cities gets reduced considerably which is symbolic of how the central government was committed to ensure fast economic development of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. It may be recalled that only in 2017 , Asia’s longest two lane bi- directional 11 km long highway tunnel between Chenani and Nashri was thrown open to traffic which besides cutting down on travelling time by more than two hours was a driving enjoyment and with the completion of the Qazigund Banihal tunnel, a distance of more than 16 kms would be saved and one hour’s driving time saved. Not only that there would be no threat or any effect of avalanches near the entry and exit points of the tunnel.
Having said so, there are lot of hopes of people especially the drivers in seeing no further delays caused to the completion of this tunnel . It is primarily because this tunnel is all weather tunnel having got to do nothing with heavy snowfalls or inclement weather of any sort unlike the present position on this stretch which is prone to avalanches, stone shooting from hills and landslides due to which the National Highway gets blocked for days together. Road connectivity between the two capital cities and in quickest possible time coupled with hassles free manner, is what people have been yearning for decades though most of the places in the valley are now connected by train also right up to Banihal. With 33 Kms long Ramban-Banihal Road getting all completed along with the Qazigund -Banihal tunnel , the National Highway getting blocked for days will become things of the past and just within six hours a run otherwise of 10 to 12 hours between the two cities will become a reality.
It is, therefore, necessary that the executing agency of the mega project expedited the remaining work on this tunnel to ensure at least the same is ready to be thrown open for traffic by the end of March 2020. Missing deadlines repeatedly otherwise would have made the agency undergo liabilities of payment of penalties including getting blacklisted for further works in the UT but looking to the fact that the place is not so comfortably placed by all norms like other ones in the country like weather and cold conditions for over three months not favourable for smooth and speedy working, hampering of works due to floods of 2014, less favourable law and order position in 2016 for months together and the like, would earn the agency exemption from that penalty but let the deadline of March 2020 be the last one .
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