Tunnel worth of Rs 1384 crore approves by CCEA

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

In a bid to facilitate all-weather connectivity to Yamunotri, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved two lane Tunnel on Char dham route. In which a construction of 4.531 kilometre long two-lane bi-directional Silkyara Bend – Badkot Tunnel with escape passage including approaches on Dharasu -Yamunotri section in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.

The project which is part of the ambitious all weather road project to the Char Dham shrines is estimated to cost about Rs 1383 crore and is slated to be completed in four years. The tunnel will reduce the travel distance from Dharasu to Yamunotri by about 20 km and travel time by about an hour.

The decision about the tunnel project was taken at a CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here. “The CCEA…has given approval to the construction of 4.5 km long 2-lane bi-directional Silkyara Bend – Barkot Tunnel with escape passage, including approaches on Dharasu -Yamunotri section between Chainage 25.4 km and Chainage 51 km in Uttarakhand,” Road, Transport and Highways Ministry said in a statement.

The project will fall along NH-134 (old NH-94) in Uttarakhand. It will be built under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Mode. This is funded under NH (O) Scheme of Road Transport and Highways Ministry.

To be completed in four years the civil construction cost of the project is estimated at about Rs 1,120 crore, while the total project cost is approximately Rs 1,384 crore, inclusive of the cost towards land acquisition, rehabilitation, maintenance and the operation cost of the tunnel for four years.

The proposed tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to Yamunotri – one of the dhams on “Char Dham Yatra”. When completed it is expected to boost regional socio-economic development, trade and tourism within the country. Another highlight of the project is that it will save felling of trees which would have been necessitated in the road improvement of 25.6 km had the original alignment been pursued. The project will be implemented by the Ministry through National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.