Srinagar, Jun 9 : The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed a new two-lane tunnel parallel to the existing Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel on the Chenani-Nashri section of National Highway-44, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.
The proposal, approved by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, aims to decongest the strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway, Dr Singh said in a social media post.
“The additional tunnel will significantly improve traffic movement, reduce congestion, and ensure smoother travel for commuters and transporters,” the Minister said, terming it “another good news for Udhampur”.
Dr Singh thanked Mr Gadkari and NHAI for acting on his representations.
The existing 9.2-km tunnel, earlier known as the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 2, 2017. The proposed parallel tube is expected to further strengthen the highway corridor and benefit thousands of daily NH-44 users, he added. (KNS)
