JAMMU, Jun 9: The Centre has approved the construction of a new two-lane tube tunnel alongside the existing Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel on the Chenani-Nashri section of National Highway-44, Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced on Tuesday.
Calling the decision a major infrastructure boost for the region, Singh said the project will help manage growing traffic volumes and facilitate smoother movement along the crucial Jammu-Srinagar highway corridor.
The minister thanked Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for endorsing the proposal. In a post on X, Singh said the additional tunnel would enhance travel efficiency and reduce congestion on one of the busiest road links connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country.
The existing tunnel, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2017, transformed road connectivity by providing an all-weather passage through the lower Himalayas. Stretching over 9 kilometres, it remains a key component of NH-44 and significantly cuts travel time between Jammu and Srinagar.
Originally known as the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, the structure was renamed in 2019 after Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
Officials said the newly sanctioned tunnel is expected to increase carrying capacity on the route, improve operational safety and provide greater reliability for traffic movement on the strategic highway.