Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced the construction of a tunnel at Peer Ki Gali on Mughal Road, which has brought hope to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian. The tunnel is part of a ₹5,000-crore project to make Mughal Road and an all-weather road connecting Poonch and Rajouri districts in the Jammu region to Shopian in the Kashmir valley. The project is expected to create job opportunities for the unemployed youth of the region. During heavy snowfall at Peer ki Gali, the road connecting Poonch and Rajouri to Shopian remains closed for around six months, and commuters have to travel more than 450 km to reach the destination. The residents have urged the local administration to clear the snow and open the road before Eid-ul-Fitr so that people can visit their homes for the celebrations.
The road was closed for the winter months in January owing to heavy snowfall in the upper reaches of the mountains, including at Pir ki Gali.
The residents have appealed to the local administration for an early snow clearance.
The residents have appealed to the local administration for an early snow clearance so that the road can be opened before Eid-ul-Fitr festival. Abdul Rashid Dar, an official, said that they have cleared the snow from a 40-km stretch from Heerpora to Peer ki Gali, and all their equipment like snow-cutters etc. have been pressed into operation.