PM Modi Inaugurates State-of-art Chenani-Nashri Tunnel 

Jammu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Nashri-Chenani tunnel - the longest in India - on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and took a short walk and a jeep ride inside the tunnel.

The 9.2 km long Nashri-Chenani tunnel built at a cost of over Rs 2,700 crore is the longest tunnel in the country. Situated at an altitude of 1,200 metres, the tunnel has traffic and fire control systems, video surveillance, FM connectivity and transverse ventilation systems. It connects Udhampur with Ramban district by-passing around 40 km including Patnitop and Kud stretches of the Jammu-Srinagar highway. In addition to saving nearly two hours of travel time, the passage of traffic through the tunnel will result in a daily saving of Rupees 27 lakhs in terms of fuel used by vehicles.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday afternoon by a special plane. He landed at Udhampur, where the headquarters of the army's Northern Command are located. Governor N.N. Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta, Council Chairman Haji Inayat Ali, senior ministers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and top army, police and civil administration officials received him and presented him flower bouquets. From the Udhampur airfiled, the Prime Minister flew in an army helicopter to Chenani to inaugurate the 9.2-km-long tunnel that connects Udhampur and Ramban districts on the Highway. Union Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh were also present on the occasion.

Modi is scheduled to address a BJP rally in Battal Balian area of Udhampur. Three helipads have been constructed to facilitate Modi's visit to the inauguration and the rally sites.