Alignment of Peer Ki Gali tunnel yet to be finalized
*Land issues, weather, contractors derail timelines
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 26: Several key tunnel projects in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory have yet to move beyond paper-work and the widening of crucial National Highway-244 connecting Batote to Anantnag via Kishtwar serving as a vital alternative route to the Kashmir Valley is progressing in uneven and delay-ridden phases.
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This can be gauged from the details provided to National Conference Member of Parliament (MP) Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Rajya Sabha in response to a question regarding the status of key road, tunnel and highway projects.
As per the reply, ambitious connectivity plans remain stuck in appraisal stages, while ongoing highway works are bogged down by land disputes, weather disruptions, security concerns and poor contractor performance.
Sudhmahadev-Dranga and Singhpora-Vailoo tunnels, which fall under National Highway-244, are still stuck at the appraisal stage despite Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) having been completed by the National Highways Infrastructure Development Company Limited (NHIDCL).
The Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnel, including approaches, has a length of 12.85 kilometers, while the Singhpora-Vailoo tunnel, including approaches, measures 38.61 kilometers. Both these tunnels are yet to see tendering or construction activity, raising concerns over timelines for all-weather connectivity in the region.
Similarly, the proposed Peer Ki Gali tunnel on the Shopian-Bafliaz axis of National Highway-701A is still in the DPR stage, with alignment yet to be finalized. “The DPR for this tunnel was taken up through the Public Works Department of J&K UT and, at present, alignment is being finalized,” the Ministry’s reply said.
“Upon completion of DPR, the tunnel work shall be taken up for construction in the next year’s Annual Plan–2026-27,” the reply further said.
Regarding the Chanjer-Bonda tunnel, Chaidraman-Warwan tunnel, Padder-Zanskar road and Doda-Dessa-Kapran road projects, the reply stated that these fall outside the ambit of National Highways, leaving their fate dependent on other agencies and further complicating coordinated development.
About the widening of the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar stretch of National Highway-244, a lifeline corridor in the Chenab region, the reply paints a mixed picture. “The Batote-Khellani section is of 2-lane standards. However, due to deficient alignment having steep curves, this stretch is to be bypassed through development of the Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Goha-Khellani greenfield alignment,” the Ministry said.
Out of the total length of 38 kilometers from Chenani to Khellani (excluding the Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnel portion), 2-laning has been completed on 34 kilometers, while work on the remaining four kilometers is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by October this year.
However, the Khellani-Doda-Kishtwar section (112.66 km) remains a patchwork of uneven progress across nine construction packages, of which 47.38 km has been completed so far, with the rest under various stages of execution. Some packages have achieved near completion (97-99% progress), while others lag significantly-one package at just 53.33%, slated for completion by December 2026, and another at 49.96% with a deadline stretching to June 2027.
A close look at package-wise details reveals recurring and systemic hurdles–repeated delays due to non-availability of encumbrance-free land across almost all packages, slow progress by contractors, heavy rainfall, snowfall, landslides and flash floods, as well as poor geology, utility shifting and additional structural works.
“These projects are crucial not just for easing travel but also for boosting economic activity, tourism and security logistics. As such, there is a dire need to ensure fast-tracking of works by enforcing contractor accountability and improving inter-agency coordination,” official sources said, adding “the continued delay in execution of such strategically significant infrastructure projects has raised serious concerns over planning and monitoring mechanisms and without strict timelines, accountability and real-time review at the highest levels, the region’s long-pending connectivity goals may remain trapped in a cycle of announcements and deferments”.
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