Alternative Highway to Valley get Centre’s nod

Editor

The Centre has cleared the decks for the construction of an alternative national highway to connect the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country through the erstwhile Doda district.
The Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways has approved the construction of the Chhattergala tunnel along with the 170-km Basohli-Bhaderwah-Doda road. This stretch has been declared the new national highway.
This was conveyed today to Minister of State in the PMO and MP from Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Jitendra Singh by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
As per the letter issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Jitendra Singh said, the 170-km-long national highway would take off from Lakhanpur and meet the existing Batote-Doda-Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag highway (NH244) near Pul Doda. Besides connecting the Chenab region, it will also serve as an alternative national highway to Kashmir and uplift its socio-economic conditions.
The 6.8-km-long Chhattergala tunnel will reduce the travel distance by over 26 km and the travel time by over two hours. Not only this, the tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to the region.
The construction of the new national highway and the Chhattergala tunnel, Jitendra Singh said, would not only offer an alternative crucial road link, but would also turn a new leaf for the generation of revenue, employment and trade.

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