Jitendra Singh announces new tunnel project on NH-44 in J-K, says "it will ease increasing rush of traffic"
Udhampur, June 9
Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that a new two-lane tube tunnel will be constructed parallel to the existing Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel on the Chenani-Nashri route along National Highway 44 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Announcing the development on X, Singh thanked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for approving the proposal.
"Another Good News for #Udhampur: Thanks to National Highway Authority of India #NHAI and #MORTH Minister Sh @Nitin_Gadkari for accepting our request and proposing the construction of a new two-lane tube tunnel parallel to the existing 'Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel' on Chenani-Nashri route along National Highway 44 in #JammuAndKashmir," Singh said.
He said the new tunnel will significantly ease traffic congestion on the busy highway stretch and improve travel convenience.
"This will ease the increasing rush of traffic on this section and ensure ease of travel," he added.
"It may be recalled that the 'Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel' was inaugurated by PM Sh @NarendraModi on April 2, 2017," he added.
Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee tunnel is the 9 km tunnel is the longest such state-of-the-art tunnel in the country, connecting Udhampur to Ramban in Jammu. Constructed at a cost of Rs 2500 crore, it cuts down 31 km of travel distance and reduces the travel time between the two points by about two hours, in addition to substantial savings in fuel cost, an official release from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways read.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I travel on NH-44 every month for work and the traffic jams near the tunnel are insane during peak season. Another tunnel will definitely help. But I hope they also improve the approach roads and safety measures. Too many accidents happen on this stretch due to rash driving. Infrastructure is great, but awareness is key too. 🚗
As someone who visited Kashmir last year, I can vouch for how crucial NH-44 is. The tunnel is a marvel of engineering. Adding a second tube is smart planning—it will reduce bottlenecks and improve travel for both locals and tourists. Kudos to the NHAI and the minister for pushing this forward. Hope they complete it on time!
This is good news, but I hope the construction doesn't add to the chaos in the short term. NH-44 is already under a lot of pressure with ongoing widening projects. Also, we need better maintenance of existing tunnels—the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel sometimes has lighting issues. Let's build, but also maintain properly. 🏗️
Can't believe it's been 7 years since PM Modi inaugurated the original tunnel! Time flies. This new tube will be a big relief for daily commuters. The 31 km saved in distance means so much fuel saved and less pollution. Every small step toward better connectivity in J-K is a win. 🚀
Nice move! But I wish they'd also focus on expanding NH-44 beyond just tunnels. The entire stretch from Jammu to Srinagar needs four
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