Decades of life and death for the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been measured in seasons. Every year, the region’s story repeats itself–its highways and passes get snowbound, and large chunks of the UT get cut off the world for months at a stretch. That story seems set to change.
The recent announcement by the Jammu and Kashmir government provides reason for optimism, for it marks the beginning of the end of the long wait for many.
As per the official announcements, the alignment finalisation for the proposed Peer Ki Gali and Sadhna tunnels has begun, while the Singphora-Vailoo tunnel project has entered the bidding stage, marking the first steps in making aspirations a reality.
Consider the Sadhna tunnel, which would connect Kupwara to Karnah, as a way to ease the plight of those who currently have to navigate the narrow Sadhna Pass connecting the border region with the Kupwara valley.
The pass has seen eleven accidents in three years, with four people losing their lives so far.
A tunnel beneath it would not only shorten the distance, but also save lives.
Meanwhile, the Peer Ki Gali tunnel on the Mughal Road would provide an alternate route between Kashmir and the Pir Panjal region, easing the isolation of local communities who have so far had to contend with the road’s seasonal closure during the winter.
And finally, the Singphora-Vailoo project is perhaps the most ambitious of the three, for it proposes a twin-tube tunnel beneath the Sinthan pass, connecting Kishtwar and Anantnag with an all-weather road, unlocking economic potential for the Chenab Valley as well as south Kashmir.
Infrastructure projects always seem to drag their feet, and rightly so: the mere fact that these are entering the bidding/tender stage is cause for celebration, for it signifies that the long-drawn process of paperwork and studies have entered the implementation phase.
Projects pertaining to roads and tunnels always have their share of controversies and complications.
But the fact that they have now entered the geotechnological surveys and tendering phase is an achievement in itself, for it provides a glimpse of hope for a region that has had to put up with long years of being cut off the rest of the country.
The benefits of these tunnels, however, would extend beyond being a lifeline to the border areas.
Consider the possibilities for the local apple growers of south Kashmir.
Thanks to these new roads, their produce would reach the markets before it rots.
The economic possibilities for the region are indeed worth thinking about.
But more importantly, these roads and tunnels signify the slow but steady knitting together of the country’s diverse regions and cultures, something that has always been a strength.
Perhaps these tunnels have a long way to go before they can be used by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
But they have taken the first step towards a future that seems less cloudy than the winters that have so far defined this region.
