Srinagar, Jul 13: The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) is awaiting final clearance from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to re-tender the 10.3-km Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel and invite fresh bids for the 4.5-km Sudmahadev-Dranga tunnel, two projects seen as vital for ensuring all-weather connectivity between Chenab Valley and Kashmir.

Despite major clearances and land acquisition being completed, the re-tendering of the Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel remains on hold, officials said.

“We are still waiting for official communication regarding final approval. Only after that can we proceed with re-tendering,” NHIDCL General Manager Raghu Nath Sharma told Greater Kashmir. “Until then, anything would be premature.”

According to Sharma, land acquisition for the approach road to the Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel from Vailoo to Ahlan on the Kashmir side has been completed, with Rs 78 crore sanctioned.

Nearly half of the compensation has already been disbursed to affected villagers.

On the Kishtwar-Jammu side, acquisition is also complete, and compensation is underway.

The approach roads for both sides of the tunnel span over 38.6 km in total.

Similarly, land acquisition for the approach road to the 4.5-km Sudmahadev-Dranga tunnel has been completed, and compensation is in progress.

However, the project has yet to be tendered.

In April, The Times of India reported that the Public Investment Board (PIB), chaired by the expenditure secretary, had rejected both tunnel proposals on the Anantnag-Chenani corridor, citing cost and technical concerns.

However, NHIDCL officials said they have not received any formal intimation of such a rejection.

“There might be technical concerns, but with compensation already paid and forest clearances in place, I don’t believe these projects will be shelved,” a senior NHIDCL official said.

The two tunnels are considered crucial to providing all-weather connectivity.

The 10.3-km Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel between Ahlan in Kokernag and Chatroo in Kishtwar is intended to bypass the snow-bound Sinthan Pass, which remains closed during winter months.

The 4.5-km Sudmahadev-Dranga tunnel, on the other hand, would offer a safer alternative to the landslide-prone Doda-Batote road. NHIDCL had invited bids for the Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel in 2023, but the process was scrapped in 2024 after the Ministry of Home Affairs denied clearance to the lowest bidder, a joint venture between Transrail Lighting and Azerbaijan-based EVRASCON, over issues related to its bank guarantee.

Despite the setback, NHIDCL expressed its intention to re-tender both projects.

But the PIB’s reported rejection had triggered political and public criticism across Chenab Valley and south Kashmir.

During the inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel in January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari made indirect references to future connectivity projects, including Vailoo-Singhpora, giving local stakeholders hope.

Approved in 2017 and reaffirmed in 2021, the Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel project has suffered repeated delays.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Firdous Tak had called the reported rejection a “betrayal” of the Chenab Valley.

“These are not just infrastructure projects. These are lifelines for socio-economic upliftment,” he said.

Kishtwar Bar Association President Sheikh Nasir, echoing the sentiment, says, “The Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel is a lifeline. Its rejection would show disregard for the region’s needs.”

Ishtiyaq Ahmad Dev, a social activist from Doda, stressed the urgent need for the Sudmahadev-Dranga tunnel, citing frequent road subsidence due to nearby power projects.

Muhammad Lateef, a shopkeeper in Kishtwar, said the tunnel would ease winter hardships. “This project is our hope,” he said.

Suhail Ahmad, a businessman from Kokernag, said the tunnel could significantly boost tourism and trade in the region.

Srinagar, July 13: In a unique blend of public service and personal passion, senior KAS officer and Managing Director KPDCL Mahmood Ahmad Shah is set to release his debut coffee table book “Valleys of Jammu and Kashmir: A Journey Through the Spectacular Highlands” on Monday here.

The much-anticipated book serves as a curtain raiser to the unseen, raw, and rugged beauty of Kashmir’s remote highlands.

With 114 breathtaking images and detailed documentation of 54 high-altitude lakes, the book takes readers deep into the wild heart of Jammu and Kashmir—far beyond the touristy postcard scenes of Dal Lake and Gulmarg. Each location is mapped with latitude, longitude, and elevation, turning the book into both a visual delight and a serious trekking guide.

“This is not just a book of landscapes; it’s a documentation of a vanishing world—photographed over 20 years of trekking in areas most people will never reach,” Shah said ahead of the launch.

The foreword is penned by Garry Weare, the noted Australian Himalayan expert and former Lonely Planet author, who calls the book “a rare blend of adventure, ecology, and emotion.”

The photographs chronicle remote glaciers, meadows, and mountain passes like Umasila and Jamian Wali Gali, while also capturing ecological changes such as retreating glaciers and drying trails—stark reminders of climate change in the Himalayas. The final image of the endangered Hangul, Kashmir’s state animal, underscores the book’s call for conservation.

Shah has structured the book around the region’s watershed systems, creating a natural, flowing narrative—from Pir Panjal to Lolab—culminating in Marsar Lake, the source of Dal’s lifeline.

The cover photo, featuring a shepherd near Chor Nag, reflects the timeless bond between mountain communities and the land they inhabit. The back cover—an ascent from Nandan Sar—echoes the spirit of adventure that defines the book’s soul.

Calling it a “labour of love,” Shah said the five-year journey from trek to print would not have been possible without the support of designer Jibran and collaborators Sehran and Sair. He hopes the book will encourage trekkers to explore lesser-known trails and ease pressure on overburdened routes like the Great Lakes trek.

“Valleys of Jammu and Kashmir” will be available for purchase from July 14 on Amazon and Kashmir Box in India, and internationally via KashmirBox.com.

Srinagar, July 13: A picnic turned tragic for a Srinagar-based family on Sunday evening after four members drowned in the River Jhelum near the NHPC canal at Gantmullah area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla.

An official told news agency JKNS that the family was on a picnic when two childrens slipped into Jhelum, other two family members jumped to save them but they two also drowned.

In the meanwhile a local immediately jumped into the canal and managed to save one person. However one minor dead body was retrieved while the other two remained untraced as of now which reportedly includes, one minor and an elder.

One rescued person was shifted to Boniyar hospital for medico-legal formalities, an official said.

Two persons remain missing as of now, prompting a large-scale search and rescue effort involving local police, SDRF teams, and volunteers.

SHO Boniyar while confirming the incident told JKNS that the operation is underway and all efforts are being made to trace the missing individuals. Further identification and details of the victims are being ascertained.

Baramulla, July 13: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said the administration will investigate all unregistered cases involving terror-affected families and ensure the return of confiscated properties to their rightful owners.

Speaking to reporters in Baramulla, LG Sinha after distributing appointment letters to the families of terror victims, per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said after consultations with senior government officials, a decision was taken to provide government jobs to eligible members of these families.

“Those who have not received financial support will now be provided assistance. We will also facilitate self-employment opportunities,” LG Sinha said.

He shared his emotional experience after meeting several terror-affected families in Anantnag. “The families were very emotional. Many of them, despite being eligible, were not provided government jobs. It was their right,” he said.

He also said the administration has also decided to review cases where FIRs were not filed or properties were seized. “Such cases will be investigated, and wherever applicable, confiscated properties will be returned,” the LG assured.

During the Baramulla event, 40 individuals received appointment letters under this initiative. LG Sinha emphasised that senior officials, including the Home Secretary of J&K, are personally monitoring the implementation of these measures.

He added dedicated helpline numbers have been activated in every district for terror victim families. “I appeal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir who have suffered due to terrorism to submit their applications through the helpline. Their cases will be investigated promptly,” he added. (KNO)

Anantnag, July 13: At least 10 Amarnath pilgrims were injured Sunday in a road accident in the Vesu area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, which falls under the police jurisdiction of Kulgam, along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

An official said three vehicles ferrying Yatra pilgrims collided, resulting in injuries to some passengers.

All the pilgrims had minor injuries only and were shifted to a nearby health facility for treatment.

The condition of all the injured is stable.