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The Centre has approved the construction of a new two-lane tube tunnel parallel to the existing Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel on the Chenani-Nashri section of NH-44 in Jammu and Kashmir. Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced the decision after the proposal received clearance from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India. The project aims to address growing traffic volumes on the strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which serves as the primary road link between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India. The proposed tunnel will run alongside the existing 9.28-km all-weather tunnel connecting Udhampur and Ramban districts and is expected to improve traffic capacity, road safety and operational resilience on the corridor.
The Union government has approved the construction of a new two-lane tube tunnel parallel to the existing Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel on the Chenani-Nashri stretch of NH-44 in Jammu and Kashmir, with the project intended to ease increasing traffic pressure on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. The announcement was made by Union Minister Jitendra Singh in the past week after the proposal received support from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The proposed tunnel will be constructed alongside the existing road tunnel linking Chenani in Udhampur district with Nashri in Ramban district. According to Singh, the additional tunnel has been planned to accommodate rising traffic volumes on one of northern India’s most important transport corridors and improve travel conditions for commuters and freight movement.
In a statement shared through social media, Singh conveyed his appreciation to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, MoRTH and NHAI for approving the proposal. He indicated that the additional tunnel would help reduce congestion on the corridor and facilitate smoother movement along the highway.
The existing tunnel, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 April 2017, is regarded as one of the most significant road infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir. Originally known as the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, it was renamed the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel in October 2019 in honour of the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
The 9.28-km twin-tube all-weather tunnel is situated on NH-44 and passes through the lower Himalayan region at an altitude of approximately 1,200 metres. The facility was developed to provide uninterrupted connectivity on a section of the highway that was historically vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, landslides and traffic disruptions. It has played a key role in reducing travel time and improving year-round accessibility between Jammu and Srinagar.
Officials said the proposed parallel tunnel is expected to increase carrying capacity on the route while strengthening operational reliability and safety standards. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remains the principal road connection between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, making infrastructure upgrades on the corridor strategically important for passenger movement, logistics and regional connectivity.
The approval adds to the ongoing programme of highway and tunnel development across Jammu and Kashmir, where the Centre has been investing in all-weather transport infrastructure to improve connectivity across mountainous terrain and minimise disruptions caused by seasonal weather conditions.
Source - PTI
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