| After Zojila breakthrough, NHAI races to open Khooni Nallah tunnel before Yatra | |    | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 11: Riding on the momentum of the recent breakthrough blast in the strategically important Zojila Tunnel on the Srinagar–Leh Highway, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is now focusing on completing several major road infrastructure projects across Jammu and Kashmir, with the Digdol–Khooni Nallah tunnel on the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway (NH-44) emerging as a top priority.
Sources said the NHAI is making concerted efforts to open the 3.20-km-long twin-tube tunnel connecting Digdol and Khooni Nallah before the commencement of the annual Amarnath Yatra on July 3. The tunnel is expected to significantly improve traffic movement on NH-44 by bypassing the accident-prone and vulnerable two-lane stretch at Khooni Nallah, long considered one of the most hazardous sections of the highway.
The project, undertaken during 2021-22 and awarded to a private construction firm, involves the construction of a twin-tube (2x2) tunnel along with approach roads on both the Digdol and Khooni Nallah sides. The total cost of the project is estimated at ₹1,401.87 crore.
Although the revised completion deadline for the tunnel is August 2026, officials are working to make it operational ahead of schedule to facilitate smoother travel during the pilgrimage season. According to available reports, the project has achieved nearly 89.5 percent physical progress, and work is being expedited to ensure early completion.
The tunnel had originally been scheduled for completion in August 2025 but missed the deadline due to various challenges. It is now expected to be ready within the next month, subject to final clearances and completion of remaining works.
Meanwhile, work is also progressing on the last major tunnel project under construction on NH-44 between Ramban and Banihal. The 4.38-km-long Marog–Digdol tunnel, including approach roads on both sides, was awarded in November 2021, with construction beginning in August 2022.
The project, which also missed its original August 2025 completion target, is now slated for completion by June 2027. Officials said about 28 percent of the physical work has been completed so far, while construction activities are continuing at full pace.
Another key infrastructure initiative on the highway is the 6.02-km-long four-lane Viaduct Package beyond Ramsoo towards Banihal. Designed to improve traffic flow and reduce travel time, the project involves the construction of elevated bridges on pillars within the Banihal stream, away from the existing road alignment.
Awarded in September 2021, the viaduct project commenced in February 2022 and carries an estimated cost of ₹614.50 crore. While the official completion deadline is December 2026, NHAI officials indicated that the project is likely to be completed by March 2027.
Once completed, these projects are expected to substantially enhance connectivity, improve safety, and ensure all-weather travel on the vital Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, the Union Territory’s primary road link with the rest of the country. | | |
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