Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel
Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel is a road tunnel at elevation of 1,790 m (5,870 ft) in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India, below the Banihal Pass in the Pir Panjal mountain range in lower Himalayas, on National Highway 44. Its construction started in 2011 and was completed in 2021. It is one of the longest tunnels in India, with a length of 8.45 km (5.25 mi). The tunnel reduces the distance between the cities of Srinagar and Jammu by 16 km. It also reduces the travel time between these cities from 6 hours to 5.5 hours.
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Status | Active |
| Route | NH 44 |
| Start | Qazigund |
| End | Banihal |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | 2011 |
| Opened | 4 August 2021 |
| Owner | National Highways Authority of India |
| Operator | National Highways Authority of India |
| Traffic | Automotive |
| Toll | Qazigund Toll Plaza |
| Technical | |
| Length | 8.45 km (27,700 ft) |
| No. of lanes | 2 Lanes per Tube (4 Lanes total in Twin-Tube with Dual carriageway) |
| Operating speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
| Highest elevation | 1,790 m (5,870 ft) |
| Width | 7 metres (23 ft) |
The tunnel consists of two parallel tunnels, one for each direction of travel. Each tunnel is 7 m (23 ft) wide, and each has two lanes of road. The two tunnels are interconnected by a passage every 500 m (1,600 ft) for maintenance and emergency evacuation. The tunnel has forced ventilation to extract smoke and stale air and infuse fresh air. It has state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems for security. Built at a cost of ₹2,100 crore, citizens pay a toll to use the tunnel.