CT Logo

The ambitious double-tube Banihal-Qazigund tunnel along the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway built at a cost of Rs 2,100 crore is going through the testing and commissioning process and is likely to become operational in coming weeks, officials of the construction company said.

The work on the 8.5-km-long tunnel started in June 2011 and, on completion, it would reduce the road distance between Banihal in Jammu and Qazigund in south Kashmir by 16 km.

It will bypass Jawahar Tunnel and Shaitan Nalla, which is prone to heavy snowfall and slippery conditions during winters and results in a bottleneck in the strategically important road linking Kashmir to the rest of the country.

According to Chief Manager of Navayuga Engineering Company Muneeb, "We are presently engaged in the testing commissioning process after the installation of all required equipment including ventilation and electric system,"

He said they are working round-the-clock and the "people will get the good news soon".

The work on the tunnel was delayed for several reasons in the past 10 years including unexpected land conditions inside the tunnel as well as issues related to local landlords and company workers.

Company insiders, however, attributed the difficult geographical terrain and inclement weather conditions during winters as the primary reasons for the delay in the completion of the mega project.