Major cracks in Jawahar Tunnel, one tube closed

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 10

The Jawahar Tunnel, the only road link between the Kashmir valley and the rest of the country, has developed major cracks and rocks have fallen inside the tunnel.

This has led to closure of the north tube for the traffic. Now only the south tube is functioning and vehicles are being allowed alternately from both sides.

Sources said the south tube had also developed cracks but these were not threatening yet and vehicular movement was being allowed cautiously.

Denying there were major cracks, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials said only a small portion had developed cracks due to seepage of water. “As this tunnel is quite old, a few small cracks have developed in the 30-m unlined area in the tunnel due to seepage. We fixing the cracks,” KK Sharma, Commandant, 760 BRTF, told The Tribune.

However, the sources said around 1.6-km length of the 2.81-km tunnel was affected by cracks.

The Border Roads Organisation is looking after the maintenance of the tunnel.

“Cracks developed this morning and rocks fell inside the north tube of the tunnel. While traffic was stopped in it, vehicles are allowed to move through the south tube. The process of clearing rocks from the north tube was completed during the day,” said Mohan Lal, SSP, Ramban.

After getting the information, DIG, Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban Range, Rafiq-ul-Hassan along with the SSP, local and BRO officials reached the spot and got the feedback from engineers.

“Immediately after getting information, we contacted the National Highway Authority of India, which is constructing a new tunnel from Banihal to Qazigund. Their engineers, geologists and other officials visited the site. They have assured us regarding providing assistance,” the SSP added.

“We hope that in a couple of days, the repair work will be completed and tunnel will be made functional again,” he added.

The Jawahar Tunnel was thrown open to traffic on December 22, 1956. In 1960, the BRO renovated it under Project BEACON. This is the only all-weather road connectivity Kashmir valley has with the rest of the country.

With the Central government starting upgrade of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, a new 8.5-km tunnel is being constructed from Banihal to Qazigund. It is expected to be completed by next year. It will bypass the Jawahar Tunnel but till then traffic will have to move through the old tunnel.