Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Tuesday announced that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), with the approval of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, has proposed the construction of a new two-lane tube tunnel parallel to the existing Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel on the Chenani-Nashri section of National Highway-44 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sharing the development on social media, Dr. Singh described it as “another good news for Udhampur,” stating that the proposal was accepted following representations made to the concerned authorities.
He said the additional tunnel is aimed at addressing the growing traffic pressure on the vital Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and would significantly improve traffic movement, reduce congestion and ensure smoother travel for commuters and transporters.
Dr. Singh expressed gratitude to NHAI and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for responding positively to the request and initiating the proposal for the key infrastructure project.
He also recalled that the existing Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel, formerly known as the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 2, 2017, and has since played a crucial role in enhancing connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir.
The proposed parallel tunnel is expected to further strengthen the strategic highway corridor and provide greater convenience and safety to thousands of daily commuters using NH-44.