New Delhi, Jul 29 (KNO): The Centre on Wednesday said it has initiated the process for developing all-weather road connectivity to the border areas of Tangdhar and Gurez in Jammu and Kashmir by advancing plans for strategic tunnel projects aimed at reducing the impact of prolonged winter closures.
Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said consultancy work for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the proposed ‘Sadhna Tunnel’ on the Kupwara-Tangdhar section of National Highway-701 has already been awarded.
For Gurez, Gadkari said the ministry has floated a tender to appoint a consultant for preparing the DPR for a proposed tunnel beneath ‘Razdan Pass’, which remains snowbound for several months every year.
The Minister was responding to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha member Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan on measures being taken to provide year-round connectivity to seasonally cut-off border regions.
The government, however, said it was not in a position to specify the cost or timeline for completion of the proposed tunnel projects at this stage.
The ministry also clarified that Gurez and the Marwah-Warwan region are not part of the National Highway network, and therefore tunnel development in those areas does not fall directly under the National Highways programme.
Pending the execution of long-term infrastructure projects, the government said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) continues to undertake snow-clearance operations on National Highways and other roads under its jurisdiction to keep them open for traffic during the winter season as far as possible.
On healthcare facilities in these remote regions, the Centre said several projects have been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
In Gurez, these include a Block Public Health Unit at Dawar, a Primary Health Centre at Sheikhpora and a New Type Primary Health Centre at Bhagote. Similar Block Public Health Units have also been sanctioned for Tangdhar and Teetwal.
The government further said the Jammu and Kashmir administration provides free helicopter and air evacuation services for critically ill patients from Gurez requiring treatment at tertiary care hospitals outside the valley. The evacuations are coordinated jointly by the district administration and the Health Department.
For the Marwah-Warwan region, the Centre said a Block Public Health Unit at Community Health Centre Marwah, an Ayushman Arogya Mandir at Margi and a six-bed prefabricated facility at Primary Health Centre Afti under the Emergency COVID Response Package-II have been sanctioned.
The Union government reiterated that while healthcare remains primarily the responsibility of the Jammu and Kashmir administration, it continues to support the Union Territory through centrally sponsored health infrastructure and service delivery schemes—(KNO)