- Likely to be completed by December 10
- Chief Secretary takes stock of the ongoing construction work
After missing several deadlines, the much-awaited Chenani-Nashri tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway is likely to be thrown open to public by December 10 this year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate it.
The fresh deadline is four months later than the time limit set initially for the completion of the project, which was earlier scheduled to be finished by May 21 and then extended to September 25.
The fresh deadline was decided after a detailed review of the ongoing and pending works of the tunnel project during a high-level meeting by the J&K Chief Secretary, Braj Raj Sharma, with the officers of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Concessionaire, Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) at Chenani.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary reviewed the status of various works related to power system, tunnel lighting, tunnel ventilation system, fire-fighting system, communication system, integrated tunnel control system, toll collection system and electrical switchyard.
Speaking on the occasion, Sharma said: “This tunnel is one of its kind. It will provide better connectivity besides reducing the distance between Jammu and Srinagar by 31 km and the journey time by two hours.”
Earlier, the Regional Head, NHAI, gave a detailed PowerPoint presentation highlighting the salient features of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel project. He said the prestigious project would be completed by December 10.
He informed that the project started on May 23, 2011, and latest construction equipment such as dumpers, jumbos, excavators and ventilation ducts has been utilised for the construction of the tunnel. Focus has been laid on the structural verification of the ventilation, drainage system for the rock mass inflow as well as the platform water and the installation of ribs and correct position of the framework prior to final concrete lining, the Regional Head added.
An integrated tunnel control system has also been established which will monitor the traffic control, CCTV, access control, fire alarm, power supply, communication, tunnel lighting, toll and other systems, he said. He disclosed that it was the first time that a gas-based insulation system had been used in a tunnel project.
