Banihal bypass ready, boost for Valley with improved rail, road infrastructure
Improvement in road network and rail connectivity in the Valley is set to be a game changer for civilians and security forces.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has completed the Rs 224 crore four-lane, 2.35 km bypass to Banihal town, a section that was riddled with chronic traffic snarl-ups. The completion of the bypass will not only provide relief to the commuters but will also be strategic for security forces for rapid movement.
In a post on X, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari stated, “In Jammu & Kashmir, we have successfully completed a 4-lane, 2.35 km bypass to Banihal town at a cost of Rs 224.44 crore. Strategically located on the Ramban–Banihal section of NH-44, the bypass features 4 viaducts spanning 1,513 meters and 3 culverts, effectively addressing the persistent bottleneck caused by roadside markets and shops.”
He said that initially, 2-lane traffic will be released and 4-lane traffic shall be released after junction development within 15 days. “This critical infrastructure ensures unhindered traffic flow, significantly reducing travel time and congestion for both tourists and defense vehicles en route to the Kashmir Valley. Beyond improving regional connectivity, the bypass strengthens national security logistics and enhances tourism prospects in the region”.
He said that this transformative project contributes to economic growth while elevating Kashmir’s status as a premier tourist destination.
Ramban district, where work on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is still underway, witnesses massive landslides and shooting stones, especially during the rains. There have been times when the traffic was completely halted for many hours at a given stretch causing massive financial losses to the fruit growers of Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the rail link that will connect Kashmir with rest of the country has been completed and trial runs of trains are going on at present. A successful trial run on the Katra-Banihal section of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project was conducted on Saturday.
