US$270 million Indian road tunnel open

A vital tunnel link in Northern India is now open. This 6.5km tunnel connects Jammu and Kashmir in the north of India and was inaugurated by the country’s premier, Narendra Modi.

Costing around US$270 million to build, the new tunnel features two lanes and replaces the mountain pass that was notorious for poor conditions in winter and bad weather. The new link takes just 15 minutes to drive through compared with the hours required for the old route.

The tunnel runs underneath the Thajiwas Glacier linking Gagangir with Sonamarg in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. This boosts safety and provides an all-year round, all-weather connection that will help boost tourism for the town of Sonamarg.

The route also provides important military access for India. This is one of 31 tunnel links built in the north of the country in recent years. I ndia has been developing its road and highway network for some years, boosting transport connectivity.