KATHUA: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said here on Wednesday that the new National Highway from Lakhanpur via Bani-Basohli to Doda with Chattergala Tunnel enroute will be a game-changer for the entire Bani sector.
Addressing a mammoth public rally here today, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the commitment and consistency with which the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi works can be appreciated from the fact that within two weeks of the swearing-in of the Modi government for the third term, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways gave approval for construction of the vital Chattergala Tunnel, which will cost around Rs.4000 Crore and will provide all-weather alternate connectivity. This, he said, will not only bring in ease of travel but also promote business, generate revenue and create employment opportunities.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the entire Bani region has a huge tourism potential but this can be developed only if there is ease of connectivity. Therefore, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has planned to begin the construction of the highway from one end and when it reaches the tunnel site, the construction of the Chattergalla Tunnel will also be executed, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh added that the proposal for Chattergala Tunnel had been initiated about six years back and the DPR was also prepared by the BRO agency BEACON but due to lack of funds it could not be undertaken. Finally, the decision was taken soon after the swearing-in of Modi Government 3.0, he informed.
Calling upon the audience to recall the scenario before 2014, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled it was a herculean task to reach Bani from Jammu and the journey would take the whole day and was also very exhausting and tiresome. Today on the other hand, he said, we find several daily commuters coming from Jammu, finishing their business and returning back in the evening. This change, he said, has been possible because there is a network of roads and even the remotest villages have been connected in the last 10 years of the Modi government.
Dr Jitendra Singh promised that the remaining roads will also be undertaken one-by-one. In addition, he said, the other demands pertaining to the education sector like upgradation of the schools and Degree colleges will also be addressed in due course of time.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the earlier governments had deliberately neglected remote areas of the Jammu region because of vote bank considerations. He said, the elected representatives of these parties never wanted education or awareness to reach the people in remote areas so that, election after election, the people’s ignorance could be exploited to secure their vote.
In a sharp attack on the opposition, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, there have been attempts by Congress and some other opposition Party candidates to raise the issue of reservation. He reminded the audience that the reservation for the Scheduled Tribes including Gujjars and Pahadis was done by the Modi government and asked if Congress was so much concerned about them why could they not do it in the early 50 to 60 years when they were at the helm of powers.
Appealing to the innocent people of this far-flung area not to be carried away by the opposition propaganda, Dr Jitendra Singh said, any further concern about the reservation will also be addressed only and only by the Modi Government because it is a matter pertaining to the Central Government and not to the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. It is only the Modi government, which has been sensitive to the issue of reservation in different forms and its past record proves that it will continue to be so in future as well.
