Jammu-Udhampur highway ride gets smoother as Nandani tunnels open

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 3

The long-awaited four-tube tunnels at Nandani were inaugurated today, making the Jammu-Udhampur national highway more smooth and curve-free.

Project Director, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Jammu, RP Singh today inaugurated one tube of the four tunnels near Nandani, which will bypass 6.8 km curvy road and cut the distance to 3.6 km with straight bridges and tunnels. Only one tube from Udhampur to Jammu has been opened for vehicular traffic. All other tubes will be opened within 20 days.

All four tunnels have two tubes each. Tunnel-1 is 187-metre long, tunnel-2 is 230 m, tunnel-3 is 474 m and the tunnel-4 is 559 m. There are five bridges between the tunnels. A bridge between tunnel-1 and tunnel-2 is 52-m high, which is highest among all the bridges of the project.

The existing Nandani Wildlife area from the toll post to the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) office has very poor geometry, sharp curves, hairpin bends and steep grades. The new aligned roads will make the drive to Udhampur smoother.

With the inauguration of these tunnels, the NHAI has completed 94 per cent work of the four-laning project.

RP Singh said, “94 per cent project has been completed. Only a portion of Jajhar Kotli, Thangyal and Jakhani has been left. There are some land acquisition problems in these areas. After they are solved, the project will be completed within six months.”

He said the toll post would also started soon.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner Shantmanu also visited the Nandani Wildlife area and inspected the work of four tunnels constructed by the NHAI. He was informed that Rs 101.52 crore were being spent on the project. The Divisional Commissioner gave directions to the engineers of the NHAI for early completion of the remaining work, including footpaths.