Promises Buried: Singhpora-Vailoo and Sudhmahadev Dranga Tunnels Stuck in Red Tape

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 Promises Buried

 Singhpora-Vailoo and Sudhmahadev Dranga Tunnels Stuck in Red Tape

Peerzada Mohsin Shafi

M.Tech Infrastructure Development & Management, Researcher, Planning & Contracts Member ASCE, IAENG & IIQS



Nearly nine years after they were first sanctioned, two of Jammu and Kashmir’s most critical infrastructure projects—the Singhpora-Vailoo Tunnel and the Sudhmahadev-Dranga Tunnel—continue to remain entangled in a web of delays, policy shifts, and bureaucratic hurdles, dashing public hopes once again. Sanctioned in 2017 under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, these tunnels were envisioned as lifelines that would establish all-weather connectivity between South Kashmir and the Chenab region by bypassing the dangerous Sinthan Top Road, a mountainous route notorious for its accident-prone curves and months-long closures due to heavy snowfall.

Despite being tendered first in 2023, both projects suffered an unexpected blow when the tenders were cancelled in 2024. Initial explanations cited administrative issues, but recent revelations confirm that the Union Home Ministry refused to grant clearance to the lowest bidder, an Azerbaijani construction firm. At that time the decision met with disappointment and frustration among the people of both Kashmir and Chenab, who have long viewed these projects as transformative not just for connectivity but for regional economic upliftment.

After passing of almost one-year, political leaders, including the Member of Parliament from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, raised the issue with the concerned ministries and executing agencies, receiving assurances that the tenders would be reissued and the projects awarded by mid-2025. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, also addressed the matter during the recent inauguration of the Z-Morh now Sonamarg Tunnel, stating that the Singhpora-Vailoo and Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnels would be retendered soon. In the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Deputy Minister Surinder Choudhary confirmed that while the projects were originally approved under the Bharatmala scheme, which has now been discontinued, they are currently under consideration for approval through the NH(O) scheme.

Progress on the ground seemed promising. Land acquisition for both projects had already been completed, and forest clearances are in their final stages. The public, buoyed by repeated government assurances and extensive media coverage, remained hopeful. However as per the news published by Times of India, in a stunning development on March 22, 2025, the Public Investment Board (PIB), chaired by the Expenditure Secretary, rejected the proposal for funding the twin tunnels. As per the TOI The PIB cited high costs, questionable techno-feasibility, and the existence of an “adequate” alternate road as reasons for their decision, asserting that there was no direct, demonstrable benefit from the construction of the tunnels. However as per the reliable sources PIB has raised some observations and projects have not been turned down.

This TOI news has triggered widespread disbelief and raised uncomfortable questions. Experts argue that the detailed project reports (DPRs), prepared after thorough technical and traffic feasibility studies, already addressed these concerns. Leave NH-244’s DPR aside, even in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) which had been approved by the NHAI for the five tunnels currently under construction on NH-44 (Srinagar-Jammu National Highway), between Ramban and Banihal, has been prepared by ICT and Altinok in 2018-19. The DPR clearly states that NH-44 shall be planned to be upgraded from four lanes to six lanes by 2026 to accommodate the anticipated rise in traffic. However, due to the challenging geological terrain in this stretch, such an expansion is technically unfeasible. In fact, even the existing four-lanning work is still incomplete. Given these constraints, NH-244, which originates from Chenani and ends at Anantnag, offers a strategically viable and sustainable alternative. By diverting traffic from Chenani through the proposed tunnels and reconnecting at Alstop Wanpoh, this corridor can act as a reliable alternate route between Jammu and Kashmir, significantly reducing congestion on NH-44 and ensuring all-weather connectivity. 

In fact, significant investments have already been made in the NH-244 corridor, including the construction of a 10-kilometre greenfield road from Alstop on NH-44 and the deployment of multiple work packages to upgrade the NH-244 alignment. This network was designed with the tunnel projects in mind. Similarly, the Anantnag-Vailoo road, once a district road under the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), was upgraded to national highway status in 2017 for the express purpose of linking Kashmir with the Chenab Valley through these tunnels. With their cancellation, the entire purpose of these upgrades now stands in jeopardy.

The present impasse draws eerie parallels with the Mughal Road Tunnel project, another long-promised development that remains stuck in limbo. A tender for preparing the DPR for the Mughal Road Tunnel was floated in 2017, yet no action has been taken since. The project remains shelved, its details still available on the NHIDCL’s Infracon portal—an unsettling reminder of how easily strategic infrastructure in J&K can fall prey to shifting priorities and administrative inertia.

The Singhpora-Vailoo and Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnels were more than just construction projects; they symbolized hope for reliable connectivity, economic integration, and a safer, more prosperous future for two historically underserved regions. Their abrupt sidelining by the PIB has left communities feeling betrayed and isolated. The government has already invested time, public funds, and institutional bandwidth into groundwork, feasibility studies, and land acquisition. To claim now, almost a decade later, that these projects offer no tangible benefit undermines the very process of long-term planning and development.

Despite the rejection/objection of the Vailoo-Singhpora Tunnel Project and the Sudhmahadev-Dranga Tunnel by the Public Investment Board (PIB) on 22 March 2025, optimism remains for their eventual approval. Historical precedents demonstrate that projects initially declined can later receive approval after addressing concerns and securing necessary revisions. For instance, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) faced multiple hurdles, including environmental clearances and funding challenges. Initially proposed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, the project struggled to attract bids. Subsequently, it was restructured as an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) project, with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) committing a significant loan of ₹8,600 crore to facilitate its completion. In Maharashtra, the Upper Tapi Dam and Shelgaon Barrage projects were rejected in 2019, only to be revised and cleared in 2021. Similarly, the Baglihar Dam project in Jammu and Kashmir encountered delays due to environmental concerns and political disputes. After addressing these issues and obtaining necessary approvals, the project was completed in two stages, contributing significantly to the region's power supply. 

Financial implications are often pivotal in securing project approvals. In cases where domestic funding is insufficient, international agencies like JICA can play a crucial role. For example, JICA extended a loan of ₹18,750 crore for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Project, marking one of its largest single-project commitments globally. Such collaborations can provide the necessary financial backing to overcome initial rejections and ensure project realization.

These examples underscore the potential for projects like the Vailoo-Singhpora and Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnels to be reconsidered and approved, provided that concerns are adequately addressed and appropriate financial mechanisms are secured. Unless the Central Government and the administration of the Union Territory act swiftly to revive and revalidate these projects under the current policy framework, the window of opportunity may soon close for good. What remains now is a fragile sense of hope—hope that some political will or public pressure might reignite momentum. Until then, the promise of these tunnels remains stuck beneath layers of paperwork, policy shifts, and broken expectations.


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