Nitin Gadkari Highlights Infra Projects in J&K for Viksit Bharat

14 Jan 2025 CW Team

The Sonamarg tunnel, formerly known as the Z-Morh tunnel, now provides all-weather connectivity to the tourist town, overcoming challenges that left areas inaccessible for months during heavy snowfall. Gadkari also highlighted progress on the 14-km Zojila tunnel, which will connect Srinagar to Leh, cutting travel time by 3.5 hours. This project, costing Rs 68 billion, has saved Rs 50 billion from the originally estimated Rs 120 billion.

The minister announced several major infrastructure projects in J&K, including four key corridors costing Rs 500 billion.

1. Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar Corridor (Rs 160 billion): A 250-km stretch with 33 tunnels, reducing travel distance by 70 km and saving five hours. Completion is expected by December 2025.

2. Jammu-Chenani-Anantnag Corridor (Rs 140 billion): Spanning 202 km with five tunnels, this project will shorten distances by 68 km and is set to finish by December 2025.

3. Surankote-Shopian-Baramulla-Uri Corridor (Rs 100 billion): A 303-km route targeted for completion by 2027.

4. Jammu-Akhnoor-Surankote-Poonch Corridor (Rs 50 billion): A 203-km project currently in the DPR stage.

Additionally, a 250-km Kathua-Basohli-Bhaderwah-Doda corridor costing Rs 34 billion will provide direct connectivity from Kathua to Srinagar, bypassing Jammu.

The Srinagar ring road project, a 104-km four-lane highway costing Rs 72 billion, will be completed by the end of the year, allowing travelers to bypass Srinagar en route to Gurez, Baramulla, or Ladakh.

Gadkari also noted the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra greenfield expressway, a Rs 410 billion, 670-km project that will reduce travel time between Delhi and Srinagar to 8-8.5 hours upon completion in 1.5 years.

Further plans include five ropeway projects in J&K, such as the Shankaracharya ropeway in Srinagar and the Baltal-Amarnath and Sonamarg-Thajiwas ropeways.

Gadkari lauded engineers and contractors for their work in challenging conditions and reiterated the government’s commitment to bridging distances—both physical and emotional—between J&K and the rest of India.

(ET)

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasised the critical role of infrastructure development in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed India (Viksit Bharat). Addressing a rally after the inauguration of the Sonamarg tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, Gadkari stated that robust transport and communication systems are essential to boost industries, businesses, and tourism. The Sonamarg tunnel, formerly known as the Z-Morh tunnel, now provides all-weather connectivity to the tourist town, overcoming challenges that left areas inaccessible for months during heavy snowfall. Gadkari also highlighted progress on the 14-km Zojila tunnel, which will connect Srinagar to Leh, cutting travel time by 3.5 hours. This project, costing Rs 68 billion, has saved Rs 50 billion from the originally estimated Rs 120 billion. The minister announced several major infrastructure projects in J&K, including four key corridors costing Rs 500 billion. 1. Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar Corridor (Rs 160 billion): A 250-km stretch with 33 tunnels, reducing travel distance by 70 km and saving five hours. Completion is expected by December 2025. 2. Jammu-Chenani-Anantnag Corridor (Rs 140 billion): Spanning 202 km with five tunnels, this project will shorten distances by 68 km and is set to finish by December 2025. 3. Surankote-Shopian-Baramulla-Uri Corridor (Rs 100 billion): A 303-km route targeted for completion by 2027. 4. Jammu-Akhnoor-Surankote-Poonch Corridor (Rs 50 billion): A 203-km project currently in the DPR stage. Additionally, a 250-km Kathua-Basohli-Bhaderwah-Doda corridor costing Rs 34 billion will provide direct connectivity from Kathua to Srinagar, bypassing Jammu. The Srinagar ring road project, a 104-km four-lane highway costing Rs 72 billion, will be completed by the end of the year, allowing travelers to bypass Srinagar en route to Gurez, Baramulla, or Ladakh. Gadkari also noted the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra greenfield expressway, a Rs 410 billion, 670-km project that will reduce travel time between Delhi and Srinagar to 8-8.5 hours upon completion in 1.5 years. Further plans include five ropeway projects in J&K, such as the Shankaracharya ropeway in Srinagar and the Baltal-Amarnath and Sonamarg-Thajiwas ropeways. Gadkari lauded engineers and contractors for their work in challenging conditions and reiterated the government’s commitment to bridging distances—both physical and emotional—between J&K and the rest of India. (ET)

Infrastructure Transport

13 Oct 2025

Tata, Airbus to Build India’s First Private Helicopter Line

In a landmark development for India’s aerospace sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus will establish the country’s first private-sector helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 and H125M, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in aviation and defence manufacturing. The new Final Assembly Line (FAL) will produce the H125, the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, known for its versatility and performance in extreme environments. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected to ro..

Infrastructure Urban

13 Oct 2025

NeGD to Support Bharat Taxi in Building Cooperative Ride Platform

In a significant move for India’s digital and mobility transformation, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of the Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has entered into an advisory partnership with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the company behind Bharat Taxi — a first-of-its-kind, cooperative-led national ride-hailing platform. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between NeGD and Sahakar Taxi to provide strategic advisory and technical support covering key areas such as platform integration, cybersecurity..

Technology

13 Oct 2025

MeitY Hosts Pre-Summit for India–AI Impact Summit 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted a series of Pre-Summit events for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. These sessions mark a key milestone ahead of the main summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Delivering the inaugural address, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s innovative and frugal approach to AI development. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from others’ experiences to build projects and products that..