"Transport sector witnessed surge under your tenure," Mehbooba Mufti writes to Gadkari; requests to initiate construction of Mughal road tunnel

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 15 : Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and People's Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday wrote to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari requesting him to initiate construction of the Mughal road tunnel.

Taking to Twitter, Mufti said that she has requested the Union Minister to initiate construction of the Mughal road tunnel which he had earlier assured her when she met him as Chief Minister in 2017.

"Written to @nitin_gadkari ji to initiate construction of the Mughal road tunnel which he'd earlier assured when I met him as Chief Minister in 2017. The Mughal road can emerge as a vital all weather road link connecting the Valley with Pir Panchal in Jammu," Mufti said in her tweet.

The PDP chief also shared the letter written to Gadkari on the micro-blogging platform which says, "A few years ago, as Chief Minister I requested you to initiate the construction of three tunnels Rajdhani, Sadhna and Mughal road. As you are already aware, the Mughal road is the only vital link that connects the valley to the Pir Panchal region in Jammu."

"Unfortunately, Kashmir is cut off from the rest of the country owing to the fact that the sole national highway connecting it remains mostly closed due to inclement weather conditions and landslides," the letter further reads.

Mufti, in her letter, said that the last few years have witnessed a surge in terms of road infrastructure and connectivity under your tenure as the Roads, Transports and Highway Minister.

"But even to this day, J-K's road infrastructure hasn't changed much. As a result, people continue to suffer huge losses on an economic front and personal level. Our local economy is driven by horticulture which is its backbone. I'm sure you are aware that tonnes of fruit rotted on the national highway last year due to road closure. This was catastrophic for our farmers and the transport industry," she said.

"Despite Kashmir's strategic location, it remains landlocked without railway links. Exorbitant air travel leaves common masses with little choice but to travel via roads. In such difficult circumstances, you can well imagine the inconvenience caused every time J-Ks only national highway is closed. Therefore, a tunnel through the Mughal road would not only emerge as an alternative route but also an all-weather link that would facilitate human connectivity and flow of goods and services", she said.

She further said, "I remember your positive response during the course of our meeting in 2017. I write to you today hoping that you will bring your kind attention to this matter and initiate steps to kick start this project without any further delay."

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