The vital Jammu-Srinagar national highway's Banihal bypass is now under development and is expected to be finished by the end of the year, according to officials. The completion of the four-lane, Rs 224 crore Banihal bypass project will be a huge comfort for both commuters and the locals of the gridlocked highway town where severe traffic jams are a regular problem. “The work is in full swing and we are hopeful of completing the project within the set timeline (January 2024). Out of 53 foundations (for the viaduct), only a dozen are now left (at Kharpora),” the project manager of RABCC, Sujay Pal said. The project was transferred to MG Contractors Pvt Ltd in 2019 from RAMKY Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, but work didn't begin until 2021 after the court resolved the dispute over compensating landowners in the Kharpora part of the Banihal bypass. As a result of RAMKY's failure to begin the work after receiving the contract in 2010, the NHAI blacklisted the business in 2017 and reopened bidding for the Banihal Bypass. “Every project is a challenge for us. The work has gathered pace after all the issues were settled and our effort is to complete the project as soon as possible,” Pal, whose company received the contract from MG contractors, said. He claimed that the bulk of those working were all locals, with the exception of senior workers with knowledge of construction work. The 8.5 km long Navayuga tunnel, which was finished in 2021 and bypasses the landslide-prone Jawahar tunnel and Shaitan Nalla, connects south Kashmir's Qazigund with Banihal, making the previously over an hour-long trip between the two sides take only a few minutes. The everyday traffic jams in Banihal town have become a nightmare for the locals, including students, office workers, and patients, but the tremendous surge of traffic only made matters worse. “Traffic jams in Banihal are a routine affair despite various measures taken to streamline it. The town is congested and the current highway is only meant for two-way traffic. The inflow of trucks causes a lot of problems,” Sub-Divisional Magistrate Banihal Zaheer Abbas said. Although the project's completion date is January 2024, Abbas, who constantly monitors the Banihal Bypass, claimed the construction company has promised to finish the work by December this year, which will be a huge relief to the people. Mussarat Islam, the Deputy Commissioner of Ramban, was thanked by Vice President Beopar Mandal and Banihal Mukhtiyar Nabi for securing the start of the project's work. “Almost 15 years have passed but the Banihal bypass is still a dream because of the delayed start of the work. We are thankful to the deputy commissioner Ramban who perused the case with the NHAI to ensure the start of the work on the project,” he said. He expressed satisfaction with the pace of development over the past year and stated that the bypass is necessary to decongest the Banihal market since people from all walks of life, particularly school-aged children and patients, are the worst victims. See also: Banihal-Hingni stretch USBRL project may be finished by JuneThe banihal section of NH 44 is being constructed