JAMMU: Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta concluded a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir after inspecting key national highway projects and chairing a high-level review meeting, during which he highlighted what he described as a major transformation in the Union Territory’s road infrastructure over the past 12 years.
During the visit, Tamta travelled along the Srinagar-Jammu section of NH-44 and inspected the Qazigund-Banihal and Chenani-Nashri tunnels, the landslide-prone Ramban-Banihal stretch, and the ongoing Srinagar and Jammu Ring Road projects. He also reviewed the Chenani-Sudhmahadev road stretch and the proposed Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnel alignment being developed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
Senior officials of NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO, PWD and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways accompanied him during the inspections.
The subsequent review meeting in Jammu was attended by MPs Jugal Kishore Sharma and Sat Pal Sharma, MLAs Chandra Prakash Ganga, Yudhvir Sethi, Vikram Randhawa, Arvind Gupta and Surendra Bhagat, besides senior officers from various highway agencies.
Officials informed the meeting that projects worth nearly ₹1.35 lakh crore have been undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014. Of these, around 700 kilometres of roads worth ₹20,000 crore have been completed, while 2,300 kilometres worth ₹50,000 crore are under construction. Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for another 707 kilometres of highways involving an investment of ₹65,000 crore are being prepared.
Tamta said tunnel construction has been a major focus area, noting that while only five tunnels existed in Jammu and Kashmir before 2014, the Jammu-Srinagar corridor now has 25 tunnels, including 20 completed and five under construction. He said major projects such as the Zojila Tunnel, Sadhna Tunnel, Peer Ki Gali Tunnel, Sudhmahadev Tunnel and the parallel Chenani-Nashri alignment would significantly improve all-weather connectivity.
The meeting was informed that the ₹16,000-crore Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar four-lane corridor has achieved 95 per cent progress and is expected to reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar from around nine hours to nearly four hours while shortening the distance by approximately 70 kilometres.
Officials said works worth ₹230 crore are underway at 15 vulnerable locations between Udhampur and Banihal to improve resilience against landslides, while bypass projects worth ₹600 crore have already been completed at Banihal, Ramban, Ashajipora, Seri and Makarkote.
The review also highlighted four major high-speed corridors worth ₹50,000 crore currently under construction, including the Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar, Jammu-Chenani-Anantnag, Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri and Jammu-Akhnoor corridors. These projects are expected to improve connectivity to the Kashmir Valley, Chenab Valley, Rajouri-Poonch region, North Kashmir and border areas.
Officials further informed the minister that the 670-km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Greenfield Expressway, estimated at ₹41,000 crore, will enhance pilgrimage and regional connectivity. Within Jammu and Kashmir, 143 km of the expressway worth ₹11,500 crore is targeted for completion by August 2027 and is expected to reduce the Delhi-Katra distance by 58 km.
Urban mobility projects also featured prominently during the review. The 104-km Srinagar Ring Road project, estimated at ₹7,200 crore, is expected to decongest the city and improve connectivity to North Kashmir, Gurez, Kargil and Leh. The 58-km Jammu Ring Road is nearing completion, with 53 km already operational, while DPR preparation is underway for the proposed 33-km Eastern Jammu Ring Road.
Officials also outlined upcoming projects, including the 125-km Katra-Srinagar High-Speed Corridor, the Rafiabad-Kupwara-Tangdhar route incorporating the Sadhna Tunnel, the Surankote-Bufliaz-Doodhpathri-Magam corridor featuring the Peer Ki Gali Tunnel, the Samba-Mansar-Udhampur four-laning project and the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri corridor.
The meeting was informed that DPRs are being prepared for 60 km of road infrastructure related to the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra at an estimated cost of ₹3,500 crore. The ₹880-crore Katra Intermodal Station is also expected to integrate rail, road and helicopter services for pilgrims visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
Additionally, officials said 54 ropeway proposals worth ₹30,000 crore have been received, with eight projects worth ₹16,000 crore proposed in the first phase at locations including the Amarnath Cave Shrine, Shankaracharya Temple, Thajiwas Glacier, Bhadarwah, Sanasar and Doodhpathri.
Tamta directed all executing agencies to complete projects within stipulated timelines while maintaining quality and safety standards. He said the ongoing infrastructure expansion would strengthen tourism, pilgrimage, trade, industry, defence logistics and overall socio-economic development across Jammu and Kashmir.
