NHIDCL ropes in Spanish firm for tunneling in J&K

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation has engaged a Spanish Consultancy firm and an Indian private consultant to prepare a report for the construction of a tunnel on Mughal Road that connects Kashmir with the Jammu division. The tunnel will make the Mughal Road an all-weather road and also reduce traffic pressure on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The Mughal road, which connects Kashmir Valley with Poonch through Shopian district, was opened for light motor vehicles in 2009. It, however, operates only in the summer months and in winter the 84-km long road receives massive snowfall in parts including at Peer ki Gali, where the proposed tunnel is being constructed. The Srinagar-Jammu national highway serves as the crucial connector between the two divisions of the newly created union territory (UT). According to NHIDCL sources the Jammu and Kashmir civil administration, the Indian Company Rodic Consultants Private Limited will be collaborating with the Madrid-based Getinsa Euro Studios on the road project. The companies are currently preparing a DPR to estimate the cost of the project, said executive director, NHIDCL, Sanjeev Malik, adding that among other major projects in the pipeline is the Zojila tunnel, which will connect Sonmarg in Kashmir with Kargil and another porject which will connect south Kashmir's Kokernag area to Kishtiwar in Jammu.