Tracking transition 2014: Bringing J&K closer

The Shopian-Bafliaz mountainous road known as the Mughal Road, for it was used by the Mughals to reach Kashmir, passes through the Pir Panjal mountains and runs at an altitude of 11,500 feet. Apart from NH 1A between Jammu and Kashmir, this is to be Kashmir’s alternative link to the outside world.

It is to connect Kashmir to Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region. The 84-km stretch that connects Shopian in Kashmir to Bafliaz in Jammu was originally scheduled to be completed in 2008 but has missed five deadlines. The last deadline was set as March 2013. However, small work is still pending and the road is officially yet to be thrown open to traffic. Only light vehicles for now move on the road during summer. It is set to be finally thrown open in 2015.

The Srinagar-Banihal four-laning of NH 1A, a sub-project of the four-laning of the entire Srinagar-Jammu national highway, was to be completed in June 2014 but is delayed. It will finally be completed in 2015. The total project, which includes digging two major tunnels at Nashri and Banihal, is scheduled to be completed by 2016.