WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a pledge to make not only India but also Jammu and Kashmir prosperous, developed, and empowered and has entrusted us with the responsibility of advancing infrastructure development in this region.
Union Minister made these remarks while addressing a rally after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sonamarg tunnel here.
Gadkari said, “The work on Gadkari started in 2012, and today, I am happy to see it completed. The construction of this tunnel will significantly improve connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh, which was earlier disrupted for 5-6 months due to snow. In the past, people here faced a lack of essential supplies like gas and petrol and had to store resources in advance”.
Today, a tunnel spanning 6.5 kilometres and costing ₹2,700 crores is complete. Along with this, we are constructing the Zojila Tunnel, which is 14 kilometres long with an additional 18-kilometre approach road, at the cost of ₹6,800 crores, the Union Minister said.
Prime Minister, I am pleased to share that this project, initially estimated at ₹12,000 crores during the fifth tender attempt, is being completed for ₹6,800 crores, saving approximately ₹5,000 crores. With advanced technology and innovative methods, we achieved this milestone, he said.
The Union Minister said that this tunnel is being constructed at the highest altitude and will reduce travel time between Srinagar and Leh by approximately 3.5 hours. With all-season connectivity, the lives of the people here will significantly improve, promoting sustainable development.
In Jammu and Kashmir, under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi, we are working on the Jammu-Srinagar corridor, which involves four major projects, he said.
Adding that, he said the first corridor is Jammu to Udhampur-Srinagar, costing ₹16,000 crores and spanning 250 kilometres. We aim to complete it by December this year. Out of the 33 tunnels planned, 15 have been completed, and 18 are under construction. These include nine tunnels, reducing the distance by 70 kilometres and saving five hours of travel. These will be completed by December 2025.
The second corridor is Jammu-Chenani-Anantnag, costing ₹14,000 crores and covering 202 kilometres, with completion also expected by December 2025. Five tunnels in this section will reduce the distance by 68 kilometres, he said.
Gadkari further said the third corridor is Surankote-Shopian, costing ₹12,000 crores and spanning 303 kilometres. This will be completed by December 2027, providing direct connectivity between Surankote, Poonch, Rajouri, and Srinagar.
The fourth corridor is Jammu-Akhnoor-Surankote-Poonch, covering 203 kilometres and costing ₹5,000 crores. The DPR (Detailed Project Report) is underway, and construction will begin soon. This will ensure direct connectivity between Jammu and Poonch, benefiting the people of Nowshera, Rajouri, and adjoining areas, he said.
Additionally, the Rafiabad-Kupwara-Jam road, costing ₹2,500 crores and spanning 120 kilometres, will be completed by December 2027. This project is a vital development for northwest Kashmir and the regions bordering Pakistan. A 51-kilometre stretch will be completed by December 2026, and another project of 100 kilometres will be awarded by June 2025, he said.
Additionally, we are planning a crucial corridor, which includes Kathua, Basoli, Badarwah and Doda. This project, costing ₹30,400 crores, spans 250 kilometres of a four-lane road. The DPR (Detailed Project Report) has already begun, and we aim to start construction this year. This will ensure direct connectivity from Kathua to Srinagar without the need to go through Jammu. A 47-kilometre twin tunnel is also being constructed between Kathua and Doda, and people travelling from Punjab to Srinagar don’t have to go via Jammu, Union Minister said.
For the Bhadarwah and surrounding areas that often face road closures, a 7-kilometre tunnel at Chhatar Kalan is being built, which will provide uninterrupted connectivity, he said.
Union Minister further said I am also pleased to announce the Srinagar Ring Road project, costing ₹7,200 crores and covering 104 kilometres. This four-lane project is expected to be completed by December this year.
The stretch from Qalander to Sumbal, covering 42 kilometres, is nearly complete and will be finished by September. Once completed, this ring road will bypass Srinagar city, directly connecting areas like Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Gurez, and Kargil to Leh, eliminating the need for travelers to enter Srinagar city, he said.
Similarly, for Jammu, the Greenfield Ring Road project is underway. This includes the northern segment, which costs ₹2,800 crores and spans 58 kilometres, scheduled for completion by September 2025. The southern segment, costing ₹3,500 crores and covering 40 kilometres, has its DPR underway, and work will begin soon. This project will connect Raya Morh, Central University, Jammu, and other areas, along with a new bypass for Katra, the Union Minister said.
Prime Minister, your vision of connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, both emotionally and physically, is becoming a reality. The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Greenfield Expressway is being constructed at the cost of ₹41,000 crores, spanning 670 kilometres, he said.
He added, “We aim to complete this project before 2026, with a target of December 2025 for its inauguration. This expressway will reduce the distance between Delhi and Katra by 58 kilometres. The expressway will connect Katra to Samba, Kathua, Pathankot, Amritsar, and beyond to Delhi”.
In addition, an accident relief project costing ₹143 crores in Jammu is expected to be completed by November 2025. A new Greenfield bypass connecting Kathua and Samba to the expressway is also being constructed.
I assure you that the promise made to the people of Kashmir to reduce the distance to Delhi will be fulfilled. Soon, people will be able to travel from Delhi to Srinagar by car in just 8 to 8.5 hours. This dream will be realized within a year and a half, he said.
We also construct an intermodal bus terminal at Vaishno Devi, costing ₹80 crores. This world-class facility, whose foundation stone you laid, will significantly benefit pilgrims. Additionally, he also said the government is undertaking five ropeway projects in J-K, including the Shankaracharya ropeway in Srinagar, Baltal to Amarnath cave shrine ropeway, and Sonamarg-Thajiwas ropeway.
The work will start soon, he said.
The Shankaracharya Temple road in Srinagar will be awarded for construction by February. The Sonmarg to Thajiwas road, costing ₹200 crores, will be awarded by December 2025, the Union Minister said. The Baltal to Amarnath Cave and Banihal to Nashri roads are also part of our plans, with work on them expected to start this year, he said.
I am confident that under the leadership of PM Modi, Jammu and Kashmir will experience unprecedented development, connecting it with the rest of the country. He said the road and railway networks here have been developed efficiently under your guidance.
