BRO to connect Rajouri-Baramulla through a new 300-km highway

New four-lane highway passing through Shopian-Doodhpathri, Magam-Gulmarg-Baramulla to cost around Rs 3,300 crore

SRINAGAR: Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) is going to take up an ambitious highway project of around 300 km length and Rs 3,300 crore expenditure to link Jammu’s border districts of Rajouri and Poonch with the Kashmir valley through the existing Mughal Road.
Highly placed authoritative sources in Government of India revealed to NEWS NOW that the proposed road link is being designated as the National Highway 701A with an ambitious plan of its extension to Gulmarg and Baramulla areas of the Kashmir valley. According to sources, it will be a four-lane road of around 50 feet width with 10.50 metre carriageway besides a median and hard shoulders.
A part of the project has been already designated as a highway early this year. Currently the Project Beacon of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is fine-tuning a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on a DPR initially made by the Roads and Bridges Department of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
The J&K Government’s R&B Department had submitted the DPR to the MORTH which has accepted the same in principle. However, during the President’s rule, it has been assigned to the BRO. However, sources said, some parts of the project like the linkage from Narbal to Gulmarg and Baramulla could be constructed by the UT’s R&B Department.
The MORTH notification has described the proposed NH-701A as:“The Highway starting from its junction with NH-1 near Narbal connecting Magam, Dodhpathri, Yousmarg, Pakherpora, Kellar, Shopian, Bafliaz and terminating at its junction with NH-144A near Surankote (Poonch) including spur starting from its junction near Magam connecting Tangmarg, Babarishi junction and terminating at Gulmarg in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir”.
The section between Magam, on Srinagar-Gulmarg Road, and Surankote (Poonch) involves a length of 159 Km. It will pass through the famous tourist resorts of Yusmarg and Doodhpathri in the foothills of upper Budgam and further through Chrar-e-Sharief, Pakharpora, Kellar, Shopian and Bafliaz.
“Currently three major roads—Jammu-Srinagar highway, Mughal Road and Kishtwar-Kokernag Road connect the Kashmir valley with Jammu. The proposed highway, with a massive upgradation through Mughal Road, will be the first alternative to the 260-km long Jammu-Srinagar four-lane highway”, said a senior official. According to him, the Centre was providing a revolutionary road and train network to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh which remained cut off from the rest of the country for many days during winter and inclement weather.
Both the Jammu-Srinagar four-lane highway and Jammu-Srinagar rail link are being completed and dedicated to the nation in the year 2025. According to well-placed sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah and the J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was likely to flag off the first direct train between Baramulla in Kashmir to Delhi and Kanyakumari on the forthcoming Republic Day of 26 January 2025.
NH-701A would extensively benefit millions of the local populations across Kashmir and Jammu, particularly the residents of Baramulla, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Rajouri and Poonch districts. It would also be beneficial for the domestic and international tourists visiting the J&K tourism grid.
Passing through the Pir Panjal ridges, the new highway would also benefit security forces, improving connectivity and their access to a grid of military and paramilitary installations close to LoC from Uri, Gulmarg, Tosamaidan and Shopian to the outposts in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

Updated On 11/15/2024 3:54:33 AM