New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari announced on Tuesday that an allocation of Rs 224.44 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of the Shopian Bypass on National Highway-444 in Jammu & Kashmir.
This development, which will comprise a 2-lane stretch across 8.925 km in the Shopian district, will be executed using the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode.
The minister said the project also holds strategic significance as it links Shopian district with Pulwama on one side and Kulgam on the other within Jammu & Kashmir.
It is poised to significantly benefit apple growers in south Kashmir, particularly in Shopian district, known as the “Apple Bowl of the Valley,” by facilitating swift transportation of produce to the markets.
The overall impact includes improved connectivity and heightened road safety measures, he added. Gadkari in a separate post said, in Arunachal Pradesh, an allocation of Rs. 6621.62 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of eight packages on National Highway-913, designated as the Frontier Highway, transitioning to an Intermediate Lane configuration using the EPC mode. This comprehensive project spans a total length of 265.49 Km.
He said, encompassed within this initiative are Package 1, 3 & 5 covering the Huri-Taliha section, two packages addressing the Bile-Migging Section, Package 2 & 4 managing the Kharsang-Maio-Gandhigram-Vijaynagar section, and Package 1 focusing on the Bomdila-Nafra-Lada section.
The Minister said, the development of these highway stretches holds promise for enhanced connectivity to border areas, fostering socio-economic growth in the region. The constriction of the Frontier Highway is anticipated to curb migration and facilitate reverse migration towards the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh.
Additionally, these stretches play a vital role in establishing essential road infrastructure connecting significant river basins, thereby enabling the development of numerous Hydropower projects within the state. This predominantly greenfield road is designed to link uninhabited and sparsely populated areas of Upper Arunachal, making it conducive to tourism and anticipating a substantial increase in traffic due to heightened tourism activities in the future, the Minister added..

Agencies