Srinagar, Nov 28: A new 300-kilometer highway connecting Rajouri to Baramulla in north Kashmir is set to kick off soon. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been entrusted with its construction.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has tasked its Jammu Regional Officer with hiring a consultant for Project Management Consultancy (PMC). The consultant will handle tasks such as a feasibility study, preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR), pre-construction activities, and supervising the building of the two-lane highway with paved shoulders along NH-701A. Key locations like Shopian, Kellar, Pakherpora, Yousmarg, Doodhpathri, and Magam will be connected by this highway.
An official stated that the project, costing around Rs 3,300 crore, will link Rajouri and Poonch districts in Jammu to the Kashmir Valley via the existing Mughal Road. Designated as National Highway 701A, the road will eventually extend to Gulmarg and Baramulla in Kashmir.
The highway will have four lanes with a total width of about 70 feet. Parts of this stretch are already recognized as national highways.
Starting near Narbal on NH-1, the road will pass through Magam, Doodhpathri, Yousmarg, Pakherpora, Kellar, Shopian, and Bafliaz, ending at Surankote in Poonch at its junction with NH-144A.
The 159-km section between Magam and Surankote will traverse several scenic spots, including the tourist destinations of Yousmarg and Doodhpathri. It will also connect Charar-e-Sharief, Pakherpora, Kellar, Shopian, and Bafliaz.
The official emphasized that the highway will serve as an alternative to the Jammu-Srinagar route, easing traffic congestion and enhancing regional connectivity.
In south Kashmir, the highway will run alongside the Mughal Road, passing through areas such as Zawoora, Mushwara, Shadimarg, Drabgam, Aglar, Charipora, Pakherpora, Yousmarg, Charar-e-Sharief, Doodhpathri, and Magam in central Kashmir.
This new road will provide a faster and more efficient route between Jammu and Kashmir, avoiding the need to travel via Srinagar and Jammu.
Work is expected to begin shortly, with the project set to be completed within two years. The BRO will also maintain the road for five years after its construction.
