Kunfer tunnel along Jammu-Srinagar NH nears completion
Ramban/Jammu, Apr 4 (PTI) The work on the Kunfel tunnel connecting Peeda with Chanderkote along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway is nearing completion, with one of the twin tubes likely to be thrown open for traffic by the end of next week, officials said on Tuesday.
The construction of the 924-metre tunnel, which will bypass a nearly three-km landslide and accident-prone area in Ramban district, started in 2018 after a year’s delay due to some issues related to awarding of contract by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Gammon India Limited has been given the contract for constructing the tunnel.
The tunnel is part of the ongoing four-laning of the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway — the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country.
“The first tube of the Kunfer tunnel is almost complete and we are expecting it to be opened for traffic within the next eight days,” Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Mussarat Islam told PTI.
Islam, who is monitoring the highway project on a daily basis, said laying of only 50 to 100 metres of pavement quality concrete (PQC) and construction of the approach road are pending and will be completed by the next week.
“Inclement weather over the past few days played spoilsport and hampered the work on the approach road,” he said.
On March 16, the NHAI dedicated the 880-metre T-5 tunnel on the highway to the public. The tunnel bypasses the most vulnerable stretch of Panthya in Ramban district.
The work on the four-laning project started in 2011 and includes a number of small and major tunnels, bridges and flyovers. The project is likely to be completed by the next year after missing several deadlines over the past decade.
