STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Ever since inclement weather conditions have adversely affected the smooth movement of vehicular traffic along the 300 km long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway majority of legislators hailing from erstwhile Doda district have been passionately requesting the state government to throw open the soon to be launched longest road tunnel to allow stranded passengers move safely up and down the national highway without facing vagaries of nature.
Not only these requests were turned down by the concerned authorities but an impression was created that since pending works were still going on it is not safe to throw open the Nashri tunnel for vehicular traffic even on experimental basis.
In the absence of formal inauguration by the VVIP, most expectedly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the project executing agencies washed their hands and avoided persistent queries. But in the last couple of days several videos have started doing the rounds in the social media showcasing smooth movement of vehicles inside the tunnel. Those travelling through the tunnel have even started posting their pix boasting of exclusive visit. Question is if the authorities are still working inside the tunnel and is yet to throw open the same after conducting safety trials who is allowing these people to travel without facing any resistance.
If such unwarranted activity would continue for some more days the tunnel runs the risk of losing all its exclusivity as people would start posting more and more pictures and videos from inside the tunnel and robbing the countrymen of the excitement of watching the live broadcast on the day of opening of tunnel.
According to security experts free movement of selected people also poses a security threat to the tunnel as these people may be exploiting their contacts in the high offices of the state govt to gain access inside the tunnel when the movement inside the tunnel is restricted.