Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Nashri-Chenani tunnel on 2 April. The tunnel will open the national highway between Srinagar and Jammu. It will not only reduce the distance between Srinagar and Jammu, but during adverse weather will ensure conditions that the stocks reach the valley on time.
PM Modi will be accompanied by Road Transport and Highway Minister Natin Gadkari on this occasion, officials said.
The tunnel has cut down travel distance between Jammu and Srinagar by 41 kilometres. The 11 kilometre tunnel starts from Udhampur and Ramban and is regarded as an engineering marvel because it was difficult to build a tunnel in the Himalayan terrain.
It was made as part of the proposed widening of the national highway between Srinagar and Jammu and turning it into a four-lane. The engineers have kept security threat in mind and have therefore, installed advanced scanners. Additionally, it has an integrated tunnel control system with ventilation system. Recently, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had taken-up the issue of intermittent closure of the highway with PM Modi, and had demanded its widening, besides the construction of an alternate highway on Mughal Road that connects Srinagar and Jammu via Rajouri. The state government has been demanding a tunnel on the pattern of Udhampur-Ramban tunnel at Pir-ki-Gali where Mughal Road closes during the winters. The Central government has assured a fair weather tunnel on this road.