J&K: tunnel between Qazigund and Banihal opened for traffic

In Jammu and Kashmir, 8.5 km-long tunnel between Qazigund and Banihal has been opened for traffic on trial basis.The tunnel will reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar by about one & half hours. Built at 5,800 feet above sea level, the tunnel replaces Jawahar Tunnel and will provide all weather connectivity. It will bypass the Jawahar Tunnel and Shaitan Nalla, both of which turn a nightmare during heavy snowfall and are often closed due to extreme conditions during winters causing bottleneck in the strategically important road linking Kashmir to the rest of the country. 
The new tunnel's average elevation at 1,790 metres is 400 metres lower than the existing Jawahar Tunnel's elevation, making it less prone to avalanches. Constructed with the Austrian tunneling method, the tunnel has a state-of-the-art exhaust system to prevent gas formation inside with the help of 126 jet fans. There is also a corridor between the two tubes after every 500 meters which has been built for use in case of any emergency. It will also have 234 CCTV cameras and a firefighting system installed in both tubes of the tunnel. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vision of building quality infrastructure in J&K for the coming generations. Sinha further said that the completion of the tunnel will give a major fillip to economic activity in the region.