Soon, better connectivity to Kashmir! Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel likely to be operational in coming weeks

In the meanwhile, the tunnel is trafficable and goes by the ultimate phases earlier than it’s devoted to the Union Territory’s folks. (representational picture)

Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel: The formidable double-tube tunnel from Banihal to Qazigund alongside the 270 kilometre lengthy Jammu-Srinagar NH is presently going by the method of testing and commissioning and it’s more likely to change into operational in coming weeks, the development firm officers stated on Sunday. The undertaking has been constructed at a value of Rs 2,100 crore. In June 2011, work on the 8.5 kilometre lengthy tunnel was began. As soon as the tunnel is opened for the general public, the highway distance between Banihal in Jammu and Qazigund within the southern a part of Kashmir will scale back by 16 kilometres. In accordance with a PTI report, it would bypass Jawahar Tunnel in addition to Shaitan Nalla, which throughout winters, is susceptible to slippery circumstances and heavy snowfall and ends in obstruction within the strategically necessary highway connecting Kashmir to the remainder of India.

Chief Supervisor of Navayuga Engineering Firm, Muneeb Tak was quoted within the report saying that at current, the agency is engaged within the technique of testing and commissioning after the set up of all gear that was required together with electrical system and air flow. In accordance with the official, in the meanwhile, the tunnel is trafficable and goes by the ultimate phases earlier than it’s devoted to the Union Territory’s folks. Navayuga sources had been quoted within the report saying that the continued work is more likely to be accomplished inside a number of weeks and most probably, the tunnel shall be thrown open to site visitors by this month-end. A nod has additionally been acquired by the corporate for the trial run of the site visitors by the tunnel.

In accordance with Tak, the tunnel is a masterpiece of engineering. The infra undertaking has been constructed with the Austrian Tunneling Technique. Constructed on the Construct Function and Switch base system, the formidable tunnel undertaking has been outfitted with a state-of-the-art exhaust system so as to take away fuel and herald contemporary air. The official additional stated that as many as 126 Jet followers, 234 CCTV cameras in addition to a firefighting system have been put in in each tubes of the tunnel. Contained in the tunnel, a hall between two tubes after each 500 meters has been developed. This may be utilized in case of any emergency in both tube, the official added.

Site visitors congestion was usually witnessed on the prevailing highway tunnel under the Banihal go that affected motion on the freeway, which is the one all-weather highway connecting Kashmir with the remainder of India, resulting from its elevation of two,194 metres (7,198 ft) in addition to restricted site visitors capability. The common elevation of the newly constructed tunnel is 1,790 metres (5,870 ft), which is 400 metres decrease than the prevailing elevation of the Jawahar tunnel. This is able to make it much less susceptible to avalanches and also will fulfill the demand for an expressway between Srinagar and Banihal. Prior to now 10 years, the tunnel’s work was delayed for a number of causes together with surprising land circumstances contained in the tunnel and different points associated to firm employees and native landlords.