The National Highway Authority of India Thursday opened for traffic T5 tunnel, a 870-metre tunnel that bypasses landslide-prone stretch of the mountainous road between Panthial and Magerkote, on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Ramban district.
Though the new tunnel will only reduce the distance by only 1.1 km, it will avoid threat to human lives from stones rolling down the mountains and frequent blockages on NH44, making the journey between Jammu and Srinagar smooth and quick.
The tunnel was opened for traffic at a simple function, without giving it any publicity following directions from J&K Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kimar Mehta through Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mussarat Islam.
