Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated India’s longest road tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, making it operational for traffic. He addressed a public rally at Battal Ballian in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.
The tunnel, which runs between Chenani and Nashri, will save fuel worth nearly Rs. 99 crore a year. This is India’s first and the world’s sixth tunnel to have transverse ventilation system, providing fresh air to passengers. The tunnel, constructed at a cost of Rs. 2,519 crore, will ensure a safe and swift passage for commuters, even in adverse weather conditions.
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The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is among the longest highway tunnels in Asia. The tunnel, at an altitude of 1,200 meters, is a part of National Highway Authority of India’s (NHAI’s) project between Jammu and Srinagar, along the National Highway 44. Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti received and accompanied the Prime Minister to Udhampur.
(with agency inputs)
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