New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS): The Border Road Organisation (BRO) on Wednesday said that it has achieved a significant milestone by completing 260 meters-long Kandi Tunnel ahead of schedule in the ongoing Project Sampark on National Highway 144A (NH144A) which connects Akhnoor with Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.

The BRO said that this crucial project has been divided into eight packages, and there is a remarkable progress in enhancing the horizontal and vertical profile of the road.

Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said that in a commendable feat of engineering, the first four tunnels including 260 meters Kandi Tunnel has achieved its breakthrough.

“This incredible accomplishment is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the BRO team,” an army official said.

Bartwal said that the tunnel work, which commenced in March 2023, has seen remarkable progress despite facing adverse weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and landslides along the entire road stretch.

BRO said that the Package-1 of the project is expected to be completed by June 2024. Once completed, this tunnel will reduce the length of the road by 2.5 kilometres, improving connectivity and facilitating more efficient travel between Akhnoor and Poonch.

The BRO said that additionally, this tunnel will play a vital role in enhancing strategic connectivity for the armed forces, enabling smoother and more expedient movement from Jammu to Poonch.