Srinagar: The closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway due to snowfall and inclement weather has once again dealt a heavy blow to trade and commerce in Kashmir. President of the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF), Muhammad Yaseen Khan said that almost Rs 25 crore loss in business is being suffered daily on account of the closed highway.
“Every year we face a huge amount of losses due to closure of the highway. Recently the authorities announced the completion of the Qazigund-Banihal four-lane tunnel, which will bring great relief to traders as well as common people of Jammu and Kashmir. We appeal to the authorities to throw open the tunnel as soon as possible, so that traders of J&K can do their business in all seasons without any disruption,” Khan said.
Fruit and vegetable traders at the Parimpora mandi said that hundreds of their trucks loaded with vegetables and fruits are stuck on the highway. “We are unable to sell our produce outside the valley due to the highway’s closure. It affects our business and also creates difficulty for people as essential supplies cannot reach them. If the Qazigund-Banihal tunnel is opened this year, it will be a big relief for us and it will make the transport of essential supplies across J&K possible in any tough situation,” a trader at the mandi said.
The Qazigund-Banihal tunnel project construction was started ten years ago but missed several deadlines due to various reasons, among them financial issues, floods in the valley, and now the Covid-19 pandemic. The authorities recently announced that the work on the tunnel is in its final stages and the tunnel is likely to be opened for the public at the end of March.

Naveed Ahmad Najar