By IANS,
New Delhi : The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) Friday okayed construction of a two-lane bi-directional tunnel for all weather connectivity from Srinagar to Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.
The length of the tunnel between Gagangir and Sonmarg on National Highway-I will be 6.5 km long.
The total capital cost of the project, approved in July by the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee, will be Rs.2,716.90 crore, of which around Rs.36.48 crore will be for land acquisition, rehabilitation, resettlement and pre-construction.
According to a government release, the proposed tunnel, besides enhancing the safety of road users, will also increase local employment potential and boost industrial growth and economic activity in the region.
The stretch between Srinagar and Leh would not only be important for the strategic interests of the Indian Army, but also for the socio-economic development of the people of Laddakh.