Work on upgrading the NH1A, a strategically and economically important highway linking Jammu with Srinagar, is to be awarded at the end of April. The project will include two road tunnels.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) last week began reviewing the bids submitted for the project. And, according to local media, the work is likely to be awarded to a bidder by the end of April.
The upgrade of the NH1A will cost an estimated INR 9,000 crore (USD 2bn). The tunnels will cost some Rs 2,000 crore (USD 450M) each.
The longer of the two tunnels at 9km will be constructed on the Nashri-Chinani section and the 8.45-km tunnel will be built on the Banihal-Qazikund section of the highway.
An official told local media, “Snowfall at Patnitop causes road closures during winter months. It cuts off Srinagar from Jammu and the rest of India. The 9-km [Nashri-Chinani] tunnel will help avoid removal of settlements at Patnitop [for further work on the road] and will reduce the elevation of the road that otherwise makes the climb difficult.”
The existing highway has a gradient of 4.5 per cent and many hairpin bends, making the road hazardous. The tunnel be at an elevation of 1200m and its gradient will be 0.5 per cent.
The Banihal-Qazikund tunnel, on the other hand, will provide relief from roadblocks due to slope failure, rock fall, and avalanche.
On an average, the NH1A remains closed for more than 40 days a year, in spite of continuous maintenance. The proposed tunnels will not only make the highway all-weather but will also reduce the distance between Banihal and Srinagar by about 16km. The four lane tunnels alone will help reduce travel time by about 2 hours.
The upgrade works will be carried out in six sections: Qazigund-Banihal, Banihal-Ramban, Ramban-Nashri, Nashri-Chinani, Chinani-Udhampur and Udhampur-Jammu.
More than 137 minor bridges, 58 major bridges, two flyovers, eight tunnels and 11 by-passes will be built as part of the upgrade work.