Jammu-Srinagar highway project in limbo

The ambitious Jammu-Srinagar Highway expansion project is yet to pick up desired pace as only 4 per cent work has been completed on the treacherous 79-km Udhampur-Banihal stretch in the last eight months. The four-lanning work on Ramban-Banihal section has been allotted to Hindustan Construction Company, the company engaged for construction of Chenani- Nashri tunnel, while the task for the Udhampur-Ramban section has been assigned to Gammon India under Udhampur to Chenani and Nashri to Ramban highway expansion project. The foundation stone for the expansion project of the twin stretches was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November last year, while the actual work on ground was started on December 28.