NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Friday approved two strategic tunnel projects and their approach roads on National Highway-244 in Jammu and Kashmir at an estimated cost of around Rs 9,800 crore. The projects aim to provide all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the Jammu region while improving access to the Chenab Valley.
The approved projects include the Singhpora-Vailoo Tunnel and the Sudhmahadev-Dranga Tunnel on the Anantnag-Chenani corridor. They are expected to strengthen road connectivity in the districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Udhampur while reducing travel time.
The 39-km Singhpora-Vailoo section will feature 10 km of unidirectional twin-tube tunnels, while the 13-km Sudhmahadev-Dranga stretch will include 8 km of twin-tube tunnels. Both projects will be fully funded by the Centre and are slated for completion within five years.
The tunnels are designed to bypass vulnerable stretches of NH-244 that are frequently disrupted by snowfall, landslides and adverse weather, ensuring safer and more reliable travel for commuters, tourists and freight traffic throughout the year.
Officials said the projects would improve year-round connectivity to remote districts, facilitate faster movement of essential supplies and emergency services, and support tourism, trade and economic activity in the Chenab Valley. The construction phase is also expected to generate employment.
The projects are part of the Centre’s broader effort to modernise transport infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir and enhance connectivity to border and mountainous regions through all-weather road links.
