Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to visit the state on November 7, is likely to lay the foundation stone for the four-laning of the highway between Udhampur and Banihal.
Work on Chenani-Nashri and Banihal-Qazigund tunnels is scheduled to complete next year, while the four-laning of Qazigund-Srinagar stretch of the national highway is expected to complete soon.
Four-laning of Jammu-Udhampur stretch has been already completed and the Prime Minister may lay the foundation stone for the Udhampur-Chenani and Nashri-Banihal stretches, which are projected to be completed in the next four years, said an official source.
“We have not received official communication, but political channels have confirmed that the Prime Minister will lay foundation stone of the project during his day-long visit to the state on November 7,” a senior most bureaucrat said requesting anonymity.
“The PM will also address a public rally at Srinagar and inaugurate second stage of the Baglihar hydel project,” he said.
“The prime minister is keen on early completion of the four-laning of the Jammu-Srinagar highway and he had communicated his consent to lay the foundation stone of the project to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed during their recent meeting,” the official added.
The work on four-laning of Udhampur-Chenani has been allotted to Gammon India Ltd. The project will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,364 crore.
The process of allotting work on Nashri-Ramban and Ramban-Banihal route is underway, the official said.
