The completion of the Delhi-Jammu-Srinagar highway will bring much-needed relief to travellers and pave the way for significant tourism growth in the region, according to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. During an inspection of various road projects in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Gadkari said that completion of the 924-metre-long Banihal-Qazigund tunnel, which bypasses a nearly three-kilometer landslide and accident-prone area in the Ramban district, will be a game-changer for the region.
“After completion of this road in the next two years, the tourist arrival (in Jammu and Kashmir) will increase over 4 times. That will increase the number of resorts and restaurants 9 in the Union territory),” Gadkari told reporters after an inspection of the tunnel.
The minister expressed confidence that the highway’s completion and other road projects in the region will bring significant economic development and create employment opportunities, leading to the eradication of poverty in the region. Gadkari noted that the highway would have significant socio-economic benefits for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The government is investing in road projects in Jammu and Kashmir worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore, with 20 to 22 proposals of ropeways and cable cars worth Rs 25,000-30,000 crore currently under construction. Once completed, these projects are expected to drive a four-fold increase in tourism in the region, making Jammu and Kashmir self-reliant and prosperous.
The ongoing four-laning of the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, including small and major tunnels, bridges, and flyovers, is set to be completed by next year after missing several deadlines over the past decade. Once completed, these projects will not only help resolve the issue of traffic jams on the highway but also cut down the distance between different points by several kilometers.
“To ease the travel between Jammu and Srinagar, three corridors are being built at a cost of Rs 35,000 crore. Under this, the first corridor from Jammu to Udhampur-Ramban-Banihal and further to Srinagar…” Gadkari said. The 4-lane road of 250 km length is being built at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore, with 4-laning of 210 km route already completed, including ten tunnels of 21.5 km.