India’s longest road tunnel at the Jammu Srinagar National Highway will reduce travel distance between the two cities by 30 km and travel time by upto 2 hours. Chenani-Nashri tunnel, inaugurated by PM Modi, is a state of the art project that will augment tourism and allow for quick movement of essential commodities.
It is built at an altitude of 1,200 meters at a cost of INR 3,700 crores and is among the longest highway tunnels in Asia and first of its kind in India.
Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State in the PM’s Office has announced that this tunnel will save fuel to the extent of INR 99 crores per annum while on a daily basis, fuel worth INR 27 lakhs will be saved. The distance between Chenani and Nashri which earlier stood at 41 kms will be reduced to just 10.9 kms. It is the 6th tunnel in the world to have transverse ventilation system, offering clean and fresh air to commuters.
This tunnel, which is a part of the National Highway Authority of India along the National Highway 44, took 7 years to build and was declared open by PM Narendra Modi in the presence of Governor NN Vohra and Chief Mehbooba Mufti. Light motor vehicles will be charged INR 55 for a one way trip and INR 85 for a two way trip through the tunnel.
Be it bringing more tourists to J&K, improving connectivity or mitigating climate change, Chenani-Nashri Tunnel offers many advantages. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.