82 percent of roads along China border unfinished

[Hindustani78]

Ms. Banerjee of Bengal state said the “State’s infrastructure, including 12000 kilometer of upgraded roadways” is ready to support the investment.

(With inputs from news agencies)

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/hi...ays-unlikely-to-begin-before-june/529473.html

Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, January 16

The construction of 62 national highways, sanctioned by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in June 2016, is unlikely to commence before June 2018 as only eight consultants have been appointed for the preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs).

The construction of these roads will commence after the DPRs are submitted and funds allocated for road project. The appointment of consultants in respect of 35 national highways has been finalised while evaluation of tenders by the ministry is in progress for 16 highways.

The consultants will prepare the DPRs of these projects and the Union government had sanctioned Rs 229.69 crore for preparing the DPRs for 3,800-km highways.

The appointment of consultants was a major challenge as these had to be selected from among 5,200 consultants of 320 companies empaneled by the ministry and the tenders with single bid were not accepted as the ministry refused to relax the conditions.

Further, the firms were not much interested in bidding for roads with small length in hilly areas and bids had to be invited for the third time for 49 projects.

The Congress, which was in power till December, and the Opposition BJP sparred over delay in DPRs but now the ball is in the court of the BJP government and the Chief Minister has directed the department to finalise consultants for all projects by March 31, 2018.

The process is lengthy and time-consuming as DPRs included minute details, including the designs of bridges and tunnels and the specifications of material used and in hilly terrain, the task becomes more challenging.

“We are expediting appointment of consultants and work on the construction of eight highways, for which consultants had been appointed, is likely to commence in June-July this year,” Additional Chief Secretary (PWD) Anil Khachi said.

A nodal officer of the Forest Department is being posted in the PWD to expedite the forest clearance and the progress of work will be monitored closely, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said, adding that there would be no compromise on quality and defaulting contractors would be black-listed.

In all, 69 national highways were sanctioned but the construction of Pangi-Sansasri Nallah road had been entrusted with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), construction of Ghumarwin-Sarkaghat in Bilaspur and Ranital-Kotla highway in Kangra district had been completed and only notification is to be issued by the ministry while three highways are being constructed by the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Home Affairs
17-January, 2018 18:16 IST
Union Home Minister reviews implementation of Action Plan for development of eight backward districts in Uttar Pradesh

Shri Rajnath Singh assures he will convene a meeting with the UP Chief Minister to push development

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has assured he will convene a meeting with the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to accelerate development in eight most backward districts of the State. Chairing a meeting of the MHA, NITI Aayog and delegated Senior Officers of the respective districts, here today, the Union Home Minister said he will visit all the districts thereupon to review the implementation of the District Action Plan.

The eight districts in Uttar Pradesh are among those 115 backward districts across the country picked up by the NITI Aayog for rapid transformation by 2022. For each of the Districts, a senior official in the rank of Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary has been nominated as Prabhari Officer. The eight districts are Bahraich, Balrampur, Chandauli, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Shravasti, Siddharth Nagar and Sonbhadra. Prabhari Officers, who have undertaken a visit to their respective districts, said the districts fared poorly in Health and Nutrition and Primary Education. Most districts lacked Infrastructure and the acute shortage of doctors and paramedics in Government Hospitals and Clinics. To overcome the shortage of teachers in schools, it was proposed that there should be localized recruitment.

The 115 backward districts have been allotted to various nodal Central Ministries for real-time monitoring and ranking. MHA has been delegated responsibility in respect of 35 Left Wing Extremism affected districts.

Prabhari Officers of the eight districts and Senior Officers of MHA and NITI Aayog attended the meeting.

***

Posted at: Jan 18, 2018, 12:39 AM;
last updated: Jan 18, 2018, 12:39 AM (IST)
Kasauli roads repaired two months ago, worn out again

The Sanawar-Kasauli road where muck is being used to cover potholes. Photo by writer

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/hi...red-two-months-ago-worn-out-again/530060.html

Ambika Sharma
Tribune News Service
Solan, January 17

In view of the sub-standard work on three alternate roads, whose re-metalling was done by the Public Works Department (PWD) less than two months ago, field staff was now using muck to fill the potholes in the roads in the Kasauli division.

While this would not only worsen the condition of the potholed road if it rains, two-wheeler riders would particularly face inconvenience. The National Highways Authority of India had granted Rs 18 crore to the PWD to strengthen 29.4-km Parwanoo-Jangeshu-Kasauli-Dharampur road, 13-km Kamli-Bhojnagar road and the 14-km Chakki-Bhojnagar road in view of the four-laning of the Parwanoo-Solan stretch Of National highway-22. These roads are supposed to act as a diversion till the four-laning work was complete.

The field staff of the PWD, however, failed to check the quality of work and major potholes were visible on all roads, including the most important Dharampur-Kasauli road. The worst affected was the site near Sukkijohri where the field staff of the PWD was now engaged in filling the potholes with muck.

Huge mounds of muck had been deposited along the Sanawar-Dharampur road and the patch work on the roads constructed after incurring crores was underway. With virtually no check on the quality, the roads had worn away within days of being laid in November. Being a key road connecting the tourist town of Kasauli, tourists were experiencing nightmarish experience driving on the road.

Executive Engineer, PWD Division, Kasauli, Sandeep Sobti agreed that some work was not up to the mark but assured that the roads would be re-done once the weather conditions improved after March. He also added that the payment of the contractor had been withheld in view of the sub-standard work.

Significantly, in 2013 also a sum of Rs 1.37 crore was spent on about seven-km stretch of the same Sanawar-Dharampur road which again had worn off within months.

Though an inquiry had been initiated on its poor work then little action was taken to maintain quality in such works by the department which was emboldening the erring contractors.

*************
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/seven-vehicles-impounded-for-illegal-mining/530075.html
Posted at: Jan 18, 2018, 12:39 AM;
last updated: Jan 18, 2018, 12:39 AM (IST)
Seven vehicles impounded for illegal mining
UNA, JANUARY 17

The Una police today impounded four trucks and three tractors under the Mining Act for illegally carrying sand and gravel from the Swan river in Santoshgarh area of Una district.

Una SP Diwakar Sharma said the vehicles were not carrying valid documents as prescribed under the law. He said the vehicles have been impounded and cases have been registered. — OC

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Railways
18-January, 2018 19:02 IST
‘Nirman Samvaad’, A Mega Conclave Of Ministry Of Railways With Leaders Of Construction Industry Concludes In New Delhi.

The Conclave was chaired by the Hon’ble Minister of Railways & Coal, Shri Piyush Goyal who had a personal interaction with the participants. The conference was also attended by Chairman Railway Board, Shri Ashwani Lohani and Railway Board Members, Chairman & Managing Director, RVNL, and senior officers from Railway Board, Zonal Railways, CPSEs etc. The event was attended by the top management of 400 construction & consultation companies. During the ‘Samvaad’, 6 representatives from major construction and consultancy companies i.e. M/s KECInternational; Siemens, Larsen & Toubro, Systra MVA Consulting India Private Limited, Tata Projects Limited and Afcons Infrastructure Ltd gave presentations.

The meeting was thrown open and all participants were given opportunity to raise their respective issues and suggest remedies. The highlight of the conclave was a lively interaction session conducted by Hon’ble Minister of Railways. The issues raised covered concerns on contract management, improving cash flows, execution of projects, expediting the inspection of various items to be procured from RDSO approved vendors, adoption of FIDIC documents by Railways, delay in acquisition of land, problems in obtaining licenses of minor minerals, suggestions for reducing the time and cost over-run, expediting the payments of the contractors, risk sharing between the employer and the contractor, increased requirement of training of technical manpower, availability of traffic and power blocks, proper estimation of quantities at the time of inviting tenders were discussed.

Minister of Railways gave directions that the suggestions made by the participants should be followed up and necessary changes in the systems and procedures be made to ensure that the pace of project execution is improved to implement the Ministry’s ambitious investment programme.

Taking up of Hill Rail Projects, including Rishikesh - Karanprayag, Char Dham rail connectivity, Bhanupalli - Bilaspur and on to Leh.

 

[Hindustani78]

Fortifying a force: At Kupup, the closest point to Doklam. The ITBP is the first line of defence in case of any standoff with China in these areas. SUVOJIT BAGCHI

 

[Hindustani78]

//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/62431454.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Five border road projects worth Rs 9,700 crore covering a distance of 570 km have been cleared for the state under Bharatmala project and the NHIBCL has been asked to finish the construction of these roads in six months, Gadkari told reporters here.

The minister also praised the state government for working actively on the approximately Rs 12,000 crore all weather road projects which interlinks the four famous Himalayan shrines located in the state.

"Works for 400 km out of a total of 900 km of the all weather road projects have already been awarded. The state government has also worked swiftly to remove the bottlenecks in awarding works for the remaining 500 km of roads under the project and I am confident that by March 2019 tenders for the rest of the works will also be allotted," he said.

The construction of the all weather roads project is being done with strict adherence to the international norms with special emphasis on their proper alignment and making them landslide resistant, he said.

Clearance has been given for the construction of a 4.5 km tunnel involving Rs 1300 crore at Silkyara as part of the project.

Replying to a question he said the National Highways Authority of India will spend around Rs 50,000 crore on a total of 70 road projects in the state by 2019.

Work on the Delhi-Shamli-Dehradun Expressway has also been started and in six months from now when the project is completed, people from Uttarakhand will not have to go to Rajasthan, Punjab and other states via Delhi.

"They can bypass Delhi which will also help reduce the pollution levels in the national cap ..

An earthmoving machine clears the Kullu-Manali National Highway after a landslide near Seobagh on Friday. Tribune photo
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/hi...manali-nh-traffic-hit-for-3-hours/531121.html

Our Correspondent

Kullu, January 19

The Kullu-Manali National Highway remained closed for traffic for almost three hours following a landslide in the Seobagh area, 6 km from here, today. The road was blocked around 9.15 am due to which commuters had to face a lot of hassles. Small vehicles opted to travel via the left bank by crossing the bridge at Raison while some vehicles went back to Patlikul.

Long queues of vehicles were seen at Seobagh due to the landslide resulting in a major traffic jam. The long-route buses were delayed and the road was restored to traffic around 12.15 pm.

Traffic jams were witnessed on the left bank road and most of the traffic was diverted through the alternate route. The NHAI was carrying out cutting of the hills along the road to broaden the national highway due to which the strata at many places had become loose. Commuters alleged that long traffic jams were witnessed as the broadening work was being undertaken in an unplanned manner. The police said efforts were being made to ensure smooth flow of traffic during the highway construction work.

Abhishek Rai, president, Himalayan Environment Conservation Organisation (HECO), an NGO, said many trees had been axed for the widening of the road between Kullu and Manali. He alleged that the companies executing the work were cutting the sides of the hills on a large scale and this would result in frequent landslides due to the fragile ecology of the area.

He said many houses in Devdhar village adjoining Kullu town had been recently damaged by the excavation of hillside for the widening of the road. He claimed that the NHAI was flouting norms and dumping muck in the Beas. He added that he would approach the National Green Tribunal and apprise it about the damage caused to the environment.

Residents of villages between Kullu and Manali rued that there was lot of dust due to the construction work which was a health hazard. Commuters said there were a lot of dangerous points due to the ongoing construction work where no caution signboards had been put up.

Traffic diverted

• Jams were witnessed on the left bank road and most of the traffic was diverted through the alternate route.
• The NHAI is carrying out the cutting of the hills along the road to broaden the national highway due to which the strata at many places has become loose.
• Commuters alleged that long traffic jams were witnessed as the broadening work was being undertaken in an unplanned manner.
• 
  
• 
  
• *******

Four tippers and a JCB machine involved in illegal mining at Barotiwala impounded by Baddi police last on Thursday.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/mining-4-tippers-jcb-machine-impounded/531139.html

Bordering industrial belt of Barotiwala soon after assuming charge, Superintendent of Police (SP), Baddi, Gaurav Singh impounded four tippers and one JCB machine near the Balad Khud last evening that were engaged in illegal mining.

Singh who joined as the new SP yesterday, led a team of two other policemen, and raided the area besides the Baddi inter-state barrier where one tipper had been loaded with the illegally mined quarry material, while three others were lined up.

A fine of Rs 2.5 lakh has been imposed on the five vehicles. The tippers bore the Haryana registration number while the JCB machine was owned by a local and had been provided to facilitate illegal mining operations.

This is Singh’s second tenure at Baddi and in his short stint last year he had earned praise for fearlessly taking on the mining mafia despite pressure from various quarters. While his re-joining here has been welcomed by the locals, it will spell tough time for the mining mafia who have been operating fearlessly since the past quite some time.

In another development, another tipper bearing a Punjab registration number was impounded by the mining inspector at Baddi last evening where illegal material was being transported. A fine of Rs 25,000 has been imposed on the vehicle informed Assistant Geologist Sarit Chandra.

Imposing heavy monetary penalty on the vehicles found involved in illegal mining is supposed to act as a deterrent, but given the high financial gains in this illegal trade, it has failed to discourage the offenders.

The Mining Department has also written to the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority to provide them a secure yard in the Baddi and Nalagarh areas where impounded vehicles along with the mining material can be safely stacked informed Sarit Chandra. The authority was yet to provide any such place.

 

[MULUBJA]

ISI

Find ISI involvement in it, PLEASE

is now not worth consideration.

 

[Hindustani78]

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 21

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/shortfall-in-bro-targets-audit/532087.html

There have been significant shortfalls in achievement of targets in the execution of various projects during the past two fiscal years by tasks forces of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) deployed in the volatile Kashmir valley.

While allocated funds have been spent by 97.71 per cent and 93.32 per cent during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 fiscals, respectively, the target achieved was as low as 14.32 per cent in some of the categories of works, an audit report finalised this month has revealed.

“It is quite evident that the targets assigned by the Headquarters Director General, Border Roads, has not been achieved by 760 Task Force, in spite of expenditure to the tune of Rs 10,952.64 lakh against the allotment of Rs 11,208.79 lakh in 2015-16 and Rs 10,220.20 lakh against the allotment of Rs 10,951.04 lakh in 2016-17,” the report states. The 760 Border Roads Task Force functions under BRO’s Project Beacon in Jammu and Kashmir.

While the Task Force exceeded its bridge construction target in 2016-17, which amounted to 122.80 per cent, it was just 19.85 in the preceding fiscal. The performance in resurfacing works also flip-flopped from 99.99 per cent in 2015-16 to just 29.43 per cent in 2016-17.

The report also pointed out that in one instance of road formation works, 66.20 per cent of the allocated funds had been spent, but the physical progress had been only 38.53 per cent. The contractor asked for an extension which was more than the original time period.

An infructuous expenditure to the tune of Rs 3,094.98 lakh due to foreclosure of jobs has also been flagged. Further, the audit also revealed that a total of 14 jobs amounting to Rs 843.49 lakh are still lying unsanctioned since 2007. Noticeably, these are those which were to be commenced urgently before the issue of administrative approval, where local engineering authorities opine that delay in works may endanger life and property. Unmet objectives

• While allocated funds have been spent by 97.71 per cent and 93.32 per cent during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 fiscals, respectively, the target achieved was as low as 14.32 per cent in some of the categories of works, an audit report finalised this month has revealed.
• While the Task Force exceeded its bridge construction target in 2016-17, which amounted to 122.80 per cent, it was just 19.85 in the preceding fiscal. The performance in resurfacing works also flip-flopped from 99.99 per cent in 2015-16 to just 29.43 per cent in 2016-17.

**********

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/cisf-chief-set-to-be-up-dgp/532239.html

New Delhi, January 21

The Centre today relieved CISF chief OP Singh for his cadre Uttar Pradesh, where he is expected to take over as the new Director General of Police (DGP).

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by PM Narendra Modi issued an order allowing a home ministry proposal for "premature repatriation" of Singh, a 1983-batch IPS officer. Sources said Singh (59) is expected to take over as the Uttar Pradesh DGP on Tuesday.

The post has been lying vacant for over a fortnight after Sulkhan Singh retired on December 31. The UP government had earlier said that they had requested the Centre to relieve him from Central deputation so that he can head the state police force. — PTI

 

[cirr]

What's called a road in India is known as dust path in other countries.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Pareechu originates in India and meanders through Tibet before merging into the Sutlej at Sumdoh. The glacial lake was formed in 2004 after a landslide blocked the flow and it burst on June 26, 2005.

Monitoring the river’s flow is crucial to minimise damage in case of flooding. The Pareechu wreaked havoc on June 26, 2005, when a glacial lake was formed after its course was breached. The lake, the size of 20 football grounds, burst, flooding the Sutlej. The water washed away the strategic Hindustan Tibet road or National Highway 22 at a number of places. Ten bridges and 11 ropeways were swept away. Fifteen bridges were damaged on the 10-km stretch of the highway between Wangtoo and Samdoh alone.

*************

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ut...hwar-dam-threatens-to-launch-stir/532138.html
Tribune News Service
Dehradun, January 21

The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) has opposed the proposed Pancheshwar dam in Pithoragarh district. UKD central working committee member Kashi Singh Airy, while addressing a press conference here today, said the party was not in favour of big dams and would launch a widespread agitation in protest against the move.

“While other countries are mulling dismantling big dams, the Uttarakhand Government is planning to construct a new one in the ecologically fragile Kumaon hills”, he said. He threatened to launch an agitation if the government went ahead with the project.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/655708/14460-bunkers-come-up-border.html

Amid a rising number of causalities in border areas, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday said the Centre has sanctioned construction of 14,460 bunkers to provide safe accommodation to border residents facing the brunt of intermittent firing and shelling by Pakistan.

"The Centre has sanctioned construction of 14,460 bunkers involving Rs 415.73 crore in border districts of Jammu division, while 37 bunkers have already been constructed under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) in the border blocks," Minister for Revenue Abdul Rehman Veeri said in the J&K Upper House, while replying to questions raised by various legislators over the issue.

He also said that the government has released Rs 1.50 crore under Capex Budget 2017-18 for construction of 100 individual bunkers in convergence mode on a pilot basis at Nowshera, Rajouri.

"The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, has also submitted a proposal for construction of 1,499 community type bunkers costing Rs 142.40 crore and 19,749 individual type bunkers costing Rs 503.41 crore in three border districts of Kashmir Division. The proposal stands submitted to the Union home ministry," Veeri added.


The Centre has already directed the state government that priority should be given to bunkers which are nearest to the Border Observation Posts (BOPs).

It has also asked the state government to specify the building norms for all areas up to 5 km from the border. The construction of bunkers was approved by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his four-day visit to the state between September 9 and 12 last year.

Thirteen people, including seven civilians and six security personnel, have been killed while more than 100 others injured over the last one week along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region due to Pakistani shelling and firing.

India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan, of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

[Dungeness]

While allocated funds have been spent by 97.71 per cent and 93.32 per cent during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 fiscals, respectively, the target achieved was as low as 14.32 per cent in some of the categories of works, an audit report finalised this month has revealed.

Some heads will roll, if this happened in China. This is not "slow and steady", this is "Slow and Sloppy". Indians really need to get their act together if they want to stand a chance against China at all.

 

[Hindustani78]

Some heads will roll, if this happened in China. This is not "slow and steady", this is "Slow and Sloppy". Indians really need to get their act together if they want to stand a chance against China at all.

14,460 bunkers are constructed which is mainly to protect Indian civilians.

So are those shellings which are being fired from Pakistan side in the disputed territory are having Pakistan marking or even the Chinese one ?

New

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh with GOC-in-C, Western Command, Lt Gen Surinder Singh, at Chandimandir. Tribune photo
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/pu...s-on-land-for-military-facilities/533793.html
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 24

While announcing that the Punjab government will set up two high-level committees, one to resolve issues relating to acquisition of land for setting up military facilities in the state and the other to address infrastructural and garbage dumping problems around the Chandigarh Air Force Station, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh also called for a review of provisions governing constructions around sensitive military installations.

The committees would comprise officials from both the armed forces as well as the state government and will meet regularly for updates and decisions. This was resolved during the annual Civil-Military Liaison Conference between the Punjab government and Western Command at Chandimandir today.

Chaired jointly by the Chief Minister and the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Surinder Singh, it was attended by top government and Army officials.

Expressing concern that various issues raised by the armed forces earlier have not yet been resolved, the Chief Minister said ammunition depots, for instance, were established many years ago but the manifold growth of Punjab necessitated a re-look in the context of the current situation and review of the provisions for such facilities.

The issue came up in the context of non-promulgation of gazette notification with respect to ammunition depots at Dappar and Naraingarh in the state. Failure to issue the notification had made it difficult to stop proliferation of construction activity in the vicinity of the depots, the government was informed.

The armed forces have requested notification of the notified zone by publishing a gazette, to which the state government said it would be issued once the discrepancies found in revenue records of the areas were removed.

Problems relating to exchange of land between the Army and civil authorities for infrastructural projects, development of access roads and railways crossings at strategic places, bird menace arising out of dumping of garbage around airfields, illegal mining and storage around vital installations were also discussed.

The committee to look into the Chandigarh airfield problems would be headed by the Secretary, Civil Aviation, and include representatives of the airport management.

One of the key demands of the military for the acquisition of 5 kanal and 13 marla land to strength security around the Air Force Station, Barnala, had been pending due to delay in the release of funds to the PWD to pay compensation for construction of a new road after acquisition. The acquisition of land for passage between the Chandigarh airbase and Air Force High Grounds is also under consideration.

The Chief Minister also agreed to extend the notification of land near Faridkot, used for training and manoeuvres, up to 2030 and would also look into the issue of exchange of camping ground land to enable the armed forces to carry out training. The Kandi belt and Hoshiarpur area is being considered for this. The issue of damage to the ditch-cum-bundh border defences in Amritsar and Gurdaspur areas due to sand mining also cropped up.

Civil-Military Liaison Conference

• The committees would comprise officials from both the armed forces as well as the state government and will meet regularly for updates and decisions.
• This was resolved during the annual Civil-Military Liaison Conference between the Punjab government and Western Command at Chandimandir on Wednesday.
• Chaired jointly by the Chief Minister and the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Surinder Singh, it was attended by top government and Army officials.

 

[Dungeness]

14,460 bunkers are constructed which is mainly to protect Indian civilians.

So are those shellings which are being fired from Pakistan side in the disputed territory are having Pakistan marking or even the Chinese one ?

China uses money more wisely, they build bridges, expressway, HSR. You guys are shelling each other everyday for decades, what have you accomplished?

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
25-January, 2018 10:32 IST
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways signs MoU with IL&FS for construction of Zojila tunnel

The tunnel will provide all weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh

An MoU was signed yesterday between National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, and M/S IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd for construction of the 14.150 km long, 2-lane bi-directional Zojila Tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir . This would be India’s longest road tunnel and the longest bi-directional tunnel in Asia. The construction of this tunnel will provide all weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh and will bring about all round economic and socio-cultural integration of these regions. The project has strategic and socio-economic importance and will be an instrument for the development of the economically backward districts in Jammu & Kashmir.

The project aims at construction of 14.150 km long two lane bidirectional single tube tunnel with a parallel 14.200 km long egress tunnel between Baltaland Minamarg in the state of J&K. The total capital cost of the project is Rs 6808.69 crore. It includes the cost towards land acquisition, resettlement andrehabilitation and other pre-construction activities as well as maintenance and operation cost of the tunnel for four years. The civil construction cost of the project is Rs 4899.42 crore. The construction period of the project is seven years which shall be reckoned from the date of commencement of construction.

The tunnel will be an engineering marvel, a first of its kind in such geographical area. It will have all modern technical safety arrangements such as cut and cross ventilation system, two axial fans,, fully transverse ventilation system, uninterrupted power supply, CCTV monitoring, variable messaging boards, traffic logging equipment , tunnel radio, emergency telephone system etc.

The main objective of the project is to provide all whether connectivity to strategically important Leh region in Jammu & Kashmir which at the moment is limited to at best 6 months in a year because of snow on the passes and threat of avalanches. This project, along with other ongoing projects like 6.5 km long Z-Morh tunnel at Gagangir would ensure safe, fast and cheap connectivity between the two regions of Kashmir and Ladakh.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation urged the construction company to make efforts to complete the project faster than the seven years assigned for it so that its benefits can reach the people of the region at the earliest. He also urged the company to explore whether it is technically feasible to lay railway tracks in the tunnel along with the road.

The projects will also increase the employment potential for the local labourers for the project activities. There would be enormous boost in employment as local businesses get linked to national market and the region is able to receive round the year tourist traffic.

***