JAMMU: Couple of tunnel and road projects on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, especially on the Ramban-Banihal section, are nearing completion and will open for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra. This includes the four-lane Digdol–Panthyal twin-tube tunnel, bypassing the dangerous two-lane stretch prone to accidents. The project, being executed at a cost of Rs 866.37 crore, is a key component of the ongoing four-laning of the Ramban–Banihal stretch, which forms part of the vital Jammu–Srinagar highway corridor connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India.
The 3.20-km-long twin-tube tunnel project was undertaken in 2021-22 by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and was awarded to Ceigall India Private Limited and Patel Engineering. The estimated cost of the project was around Rs 1,401.87 crores, which included the construction of a twin-tube (2×2) tunnel and the approach roads from both the Khooni Nallah and Digdol sides.
The NHAI is trying to throw it open for the public before the start of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage from July 3. An NHAI official said that the authority has achieved over 90 percent physical progress on the tunnel. “The work has been expedited to complete it before the start of the pilgrimage so that travelling on the NH44 becomes easy,” he said. Even though the tunnel project is not fully completed, opening a substantial section ahead of the yatra will significantly reduce travel time and bypass vulnerable zones.
According to the Road Transport and Highways Ministry, the twin tube tunnel system includes a north-bound tunnel measuring 2.6 Km and 0.619 Km, while the south-bound tunnel extends to 3.08 Km. The scheduled date for completion of this tunnel was August 2025, but it missed the deadline and now is expected to be fully completed in the coming day.
In addition, around 800 metres of the under-construction viaduct between Makarkoot and Sher Bibi will also be made operational. “The objective is to ease congestion, improve safety, and provide uninterrupted movement for yatris and other commuters during the yatra period in Maroog and Ramsoo section of the highway,” NHAI official said.
However, a few more tunnel and road projects of the key highway stretch will be completed in the next one year including the under-construction tunnel on NH44 between Ramban and Banihal is a 4.38-km-long tunnel from Marog to Digdol, including approach roads on both sides. This project, awarded in November 2021 with work commencing in August 2022, is expected to be completed by June 2027.
As per the available information, this tunnel also missed the August 2025 deadline and is expected to be completed by June 2027. So far only 28 percent of the physical progress has been achieved on the tunnel, and the work is currently going on full-scale. Another crucial project on NH44 is the construction of the Viaduct package, a 6.02-km-long, four-lane high bridge beyond Ramsoo towards Banihal, which will further make the travel easy. This project is being completed by constructing bridges away from the existing road on pillars inside the Banihal stream. It was awarded in September 2021, and actual work started in February 2022. The total project cost is Rs 614.50 crore, and the expected date of completion of this project is December 2026. But the NHAI officials stated that the project may be completed by March 2027.
Once completed, the remaining tunnel and viaduct projects between Ramban and Banihal are expected to transform one of the most challenging sections of the highway, making travel to Kashmir faster, safer, and more reliable throughout the year.
