By Jagjagran | 17 August 2026
In a major infrastructure boost for Jammu and Kashmir, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has operationalised the 2.79-kilometre Sungal Tunnel on the Jammu–Poonch national highway (NH-144A) for public traffic. The tunnel opened on Saturday, 15 August 2026, coinciding with India's 80th Independence Day.
Bored through the Kalidhar Range by BRO's Project Sampark at a cost of approximately ₹600 crore, the Sungal Tunnel bypasses a section of the highway that has long been notorious for landslides — particularly during monsoon months when heavy rainfall has repeatedly disrupted connectivity to Poonch district.
According to BRO officials, "the tunnel will reduce the travel distance by around 12 kilometre and cut travel time by about 45 minutes." Initially, the tunnel has been opened to light motor vehicles between 8 AM and 8 PM as part of a phased rollout.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had inspected the tunnel a week before its opening. Construction commenced in September 2021, with the breakthrough achieved in May 2024 — a five-year engineering effort completed on time despite the challenging geology of the Kalidhar Range.
The Sungal Tunnel is the longest of four tunnels planned on the Jammu–Poonch route, popularly known as the "Golden Arc Road." The remaining three — the 260-metre Kandi Tunnel, the 700-metre Nowshera Tunnel, and the 1.1-kilometre Bhimber Gali Tunnel — are at various stages of construction. Together, these tunnels are expected to transform connectivity to the Poonch region and significantly strengthen strategic access to areas near the Line of Control.
For residents of Poonch, Rajouri, and adjoining border villages, the tunnel means safer, faster, and more predictable travel — especially critical during winter and monsoon months when the older road becomes hazardous.
The project reflects a broader push under the government's border infrastructure agenda, where all-weather connectivity is being prioritised in strategically sensitive regions.
💬 Have you travelled the Jammu-Poonch highway? Share how this tunnel could change your journey.
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