Jammu: Constructed at a cost of Rs 2,519 crore, the Chenani-Nashri tunnel on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be requested to formally dedicate to the public the Chenani-Nashri tunnel on Jammu-Srinagar highway which is in the final stage of its completion,” Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh told reporters here on Saturday.

Singh, who inspected the tunnel site, said he had discussed the project with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari soon after his return from a foreign visit two days ago.

Describing it as “one of the best tunnels to have been constructed in Asia”, he said it was going to be a “historic monument” for India, especially for Jammu and Kashmir.

“I feel proud to note that India’s most modern, state-of-the-art tunnel has come up in my constituency and it is going to be dedicated to the public during my term as MP here,” said Singh who was elected to Parliament from Udhampur.

He said with the tunnel becoming functional, the distance between Jammu and Srinagar will be reduced by 31 kilometres.

“In the years to come, with the construction of the proposed Delhi-Amritsar-Katra express highway, the total distance by road from Delhi to Jammu and Delhi to Srinagar will also be reduced,” he said.

The construction of the 9-km tunnel was started four years ago.

PTI