The people of Outer Saraj have now received good news. For the last three decades, the way has been cleared for the construction of the much-awaited and proposed Jalodi Jot traffic tunnel connecting more than five dozen panchayats of Outer Saraj with the district headquarters Kullu.
The people of Outer Saraj have now been outbid in the tender by Altinouk, a multinational company from Delhi.
Although four companies in the country had shown their interest in the construction of this tunnel, Delhi’s Altinouk Consulting Engineering has got the construction work of the tunnel from the Surface Transport Department by paying the lowest rate.
Therefore, the officials of the National Highway have also issued the award letter to the producer agency.
For the last three decades, the survey and tender process of the Jalodi tunnel buried in the files was canceled many times, due to which the people of 70 panchayats had to bear the brunt, but this time the way for the construction of the tunnel has been cleared.
Four major companies of the country competed in the tender process conducted by the Union Ministry of Surface Transport, in which the Altinouk company has received the award letter for tunnel construction.
Confirming this, TS Sharma, Assistant Engineer, National Highway, said that Delhi-based company Altynok will construct the Jot Tunnel.
He said that the repair and maintenance of the tunnel will be under this company for ten years, while the survey of this five-kilometer-long underground tunnel was done by geologists through helicopter.
He said that the route of this tunnel will be diverted from Hidab Sajwad to Khanag and will enter Kandhugad of Ani area after cutting through the snowy hills of Jalodi Jot.
Significantly, due to the construction of this tunnel being built at an altitude of 10800 feet, thousands of people of about 70 panchayats of Ani will not have to face any problems even in winter while the journey to Kullu Manali will be closer than Shimla.
The construction of the said tunnel is also important from a strategic point of view. With the construction of the tunnel, the movement of the army will also be facilitated in the areas of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti on the border of China however, there is good news for the people of Outer Saraj. hdm