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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Infra push for Jammu and Kashmir: 4 key projects Centre has approved
In a big infrastructure push for Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre on Monday (June 24) sanctioned 19 big road and tunnel projects worth Rs 1,0637 crore. Of these, two tunnel projects and two roads are specially important. What are these projects and why are they important? We explain. While the Centre has sanctioned a total of 19 projects, including tunnels, roadways, flyovers/elevated corridors and bridges, four of them are high-value projects with strategic importance. These are: a tunnel at Pir ki Gali on the Srinagar-Shopian-Bafliaz-Jammu road; the Sadhna tunnel on the Kupwara-Karnah road; a 28-km road stretch from Zaznar to Shopian in south Kashmir; and the resurfacing of the 68-km Trehgam-Chamkote road. Tunnel at Pir Ki Gali (on Mughal Road) The nine-km tunnel, a high-priority project, is being constructed at a cost of Rs 3,830 crore. It will provide all-weather connectivity to the valley through the historic Mughal road that connects Kashmir to Jammu's Pir Panjal region. The tunnel is to be constructed between Chatta Pani in Poonch and Zaznar in south Kashmir's Shopian. Zaznar-Shopian road (south Kashmir) The Centre has also approved the construction/improvement of the 28-kilometer road stretch from Zaznar on the Mughal road to Shopian. The road will be built at a cost of Rs 836 crore and has been declared a high-priority project. Sadhna tunnel in Kupwara (north Kashmir) The other key tunnel project approved by the Centre is the Sadhna tunnel that will connect Kupwara in north Kashmir to Karnah, an administrative tehsil on the Line of Control (LoC). The 7-km stretch will be built at a cost of Rs 3,330 crore and provide all-weather connectivity to the border region. So far, connectivity on this route is affected in winters because of snowfall and avalanches. Trehgam-Chamkot road (Kupwara in north Kashmir) The Centre has also sanctioned the construction/improvement of the Trehgam-Chamkote road, the existing road between Kupwara and Teetwal, the last point on the Line of Control (LoC). The 68-km stretch is being built at a cost of Rs 966 crore. Why these four projects are important The new projects have huge strategic and security importance, especially amid the Centre's push to develop border road infrastructure. In November last year, the Centre announced an ambitious highway project connecting Jammu's Rajouri and Poonch with the Kashmir valley through the existing Mughal road. The new highway— Surankote-Shopian-Baramulla — is to be constructed at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore. It is proposed to pass through Shopian and Budgam before reaching the border region of Uri Baramulla in north Kashmir, a total distance of 300 kilometre. Currently, the Kashmir valley — from Qazigund in south Kashmir to Uri in north Kashmir's Baramulla — is connected through only the NH44 national highway. In case of a crisis or war-like situation, the highway within the valley is vulnerable to sabotage. Therefore, the need for an alternative road was felt to connect the border regions. While the Mughal road, the ancient imperial route linking Srinagar to Lahore, is an alternative road to the valley, it remains closed for around four months during the winters because of snowfall and avalanches. The Pir Ki Gali tunnel, in this context, assumes significance to keep this road open throughout the year. It is also vital in terms of the proposed highway within the valley that connects Shopian to Baramulla, thus lessening the dependence on the existing NH44 highway. The Zaznar-Shopian stretch is also part of this proposed new highway taking off from the Mughal road to Baramulla through Budgam. The Sadhna tunnel is significant for soldiers to access the frontier region of Kupwara. In January this year, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced that a 124-km road project between Rafiabad-Kupwara and Chamkote would be taken up at a cost of Rs 250 crore. The Sadhna tunnel is essential to keep this road link open throughout the year. The Centre has also announced that the Pir Ki Gali and Sadhna tunnel projects will be taken up by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Earlier, the projects were to be taken up by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). The Centre announced that a meeting with the Ministry of Defence would be held and the DPR transferred from NHIDCL to BRO immediately. Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Army to get ₹2,000 crore hardware through emergency route
NEW DELHI: The defence ministry has signed a raft of contracts worth almost ₹ 2,000 crore through the emergency procurement route to boost the Indian Army's readiness in counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, with some of these deals concluded after the recent four-day military confrontation with Pakistan under Operation Sindoor, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday. An Indian army soldier stands guard at the Line of Control (LoC) between Pakistan and India on May 20 (AFP FILE) The weapons and systems ordered include integrated drone detection and interdiction systems, low-level lightweight radars, very short-range air defence systems and remotely piloted aerial vehicles. Thirteen contracts under the emergency procurement mechanism have been concluded, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. 'These contracts, amounting to ₹ 1,981.90 crore, have been finalised against an (earlier) overall sanctioned outlay of ₹ 2,000 crore for the Indian Army,' it said in a statement. The hardware on order includes loitering munitions, different types of drones, bullet-proof jackets, ballistic helmets, quick reaction fighting vehicles (both heavy and medium) and night sights for rifles. 'Executed through fast-track procedures under the emergency procurement mandate, the procurement aims to enhance situational awareness, lethality, mobility, and protection for troops deployed in counter-terrorism environments,' the ministry added. The 450 locally produced loitering munitions, or kamikaze drones, ordered from a Nagpur-based defence firm, Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd, to boost the army's precision targeting capabilities – as reported by HT on Tuesday -- are part of the emergency procurement. These procurements reflect the ministry's commitment to equipping the Indian Army with modern, mission-critical, and completely indigenous systems to meet emerging security challenges, and the emergency procurement route continues to be a key enabler in bridging urgent capability gaps and ensuring timely induction of vital operational equipment, the statement added. India launched the operation in the early hours of May 7 and struck terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were shot dead. It triggered a four-day military confrontation with Pakistan involving fighter jets, missiles, drones, long-range weapons and heavy artillery before the two sides reached an understanding on stopping all military action on May 10. Days after the ceasefire, the government granted powers to the armed forces to make emergency purchases worth around ₹ 40,000 crore.
The Print
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
New twist in Congress-Tharoor saga—PMO shares Kerala MP's article on Op Sindoor global outreach
Tharoor also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the piece and called the diplomatic outreach a moment of national resolve and effective communication. In the piece published by The Hindu, Tharoor—who led a nine-member delegation to the United States, Panama, Guyana, Brazil and Colombia—lauded the government's initiative, saying it was 'vital in shaping global perceptions and consolidating international support'. New Delhi: At a time when Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor's rift with the Congress leadership has become pronounced, the Prime Minister's Office Monday shared an opinion piece by him on the success of Operation Sindoor's global outreach achieved through the visits of multi-party delegations. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi's energy, dynamism and willingness to engage remains a prime asset for India on the global stage, but deserves greater backing…The lessons learned—the power of unity, the efficacy of clear communication, the strategic value of soft power, and the imperative of sustained public diplomacy—will undoubtedly serve as guiding principles as India navigates an increasingly complex international landscape,' wrote Tharoor. Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Dr. @shashitharoor writes- Lessons from Operation Sindoor's global via NaMo App — PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 23, 2025 The PMO's social media post came as fresh fodder for Tharoor's detractors in the party. His ties with the Congress first took a hit earlier this year after he praised the Left-led Kerala government's new industrial policy in a newspaper column. As leaders of the Kerala Congress attacked him over the piece, Tharoor defended himself, saying while he does not believe that the overall industrial climate of the state has changed 'when something good emerges, even if only in one area, it is petty not to acknowledge it'. Matters came to a head when Tharoor dismissed US President Donald Trump's claim that his administration brokered a truce between India and Pakistan after a military conflict broke out between the two following India's airstrikes on terror bases in Pakistan 7 May. The Congress, at that point, wanted to corner the Modi government over Trump's claims. Subsequently, Tharoor accepted the Centre's invitation to lead a multi-party delegation to world capitals to garner support for India's Operation Sindoor and its fight against Congress leadership claimed he did so without consulting the party, which had nominated other leaders to join the delegations. Nevertheless, Tharoor did not just lead one delegation, but also stirred the pot further by saying that India crossed the Line of Control to carry out surgical strikes on a terror base 'for the first time' under the Narendra Modi government in 2016. Last week, Tharoor acknowledged his differences of opinion with the 'current Congress leadership'. Tharoor also said he was not invited to campaign for the party in the Nilambur bypolls. 'I do not go where I am not invited,' he told reporters. However, on being asked whether he was going to leave the party, he said he was 'not going anywhere'. 'I am a member of the Congress party. Let the party decide what it thinks about me,' he said. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Excluded by Congress, Shashi Tharoor says 'honoured' by govt's invitation to join all-party delegation
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Army deploys drones to make rapid advances
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Army has started placing orders with Indian companies for a range of drones, loitering munitions and counter-drone systems as part of emergency procurements , cleared by the Rajnath Singh-led defence ministry, to boost operational some contracts have been inked to boost counterinsurgency capabilities, a much larger number is expected to be inked in the coming weeks as the ministry has given sweeping powers to the armed forces to quickly identify and purchase cutting-edge systems developed by the industry, besides replenishing ammunition and long-range, standoff of the systems purchased is Nagastra 1R advanced loitering system that can take down infiltrators and target enemy positions at shallow depths on the Line of Control. The Army has placed an order for 450 of the munitions with Solar Industries , valued at ₹158 crore. The cost-effective systems are already in use by the Army and the fresh batch has to be delivered within 12 order has been placed with ideaForge Secures for hybrid Mini UAVs, which have already been battle-tested and inducted into the Army's inventory for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) operations. This is a fixed-wing VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) company said it went through a "rare and rigorous validation process" before the selection that included two independent high-power technical committees that verified the integrity and origin of Mini UAV's critical evaluation was carried out as the forces do not want any critical parts of the system to be of Chinese reported, the armed forces are focusing on long-range weapons , jammers, air defence systems and indigenous solutions for the 'new normal' approach against forces have drawn up a roadmap to award contracts worth thousands of crores, a large chunk of which is set to go to the private sector. Weapons worth ₹44,000 crore are likely to be ordered in the coming days, including ammunition for prolonged conflict. A special focus is on 'long range vectors', weapons that can be used from a standoff distance to strike deep into enemy forces are also looking to acquire jammers and low-level transportable radars in higher numbers in the coming months as they proved effective in thwarting large-scale drones attacks during Op armed forces are also likely to go in for a range of air defence capabilities to further strengthen the network that kept the Pakistani missile and drone barrage in check.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Pahalgam Attack: Two held for hiding Pakistani terrorists
New Delhi: National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two men for allegedly harbouring terrorists who carried out the April 22 attack in Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead and 16 others injured. Officials termed the arrests a "major breakthrough" and said the two individuals had disclosed the identities of three terrorists involved in the attack, confirming that the three are Pakistani nationals and part of the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The duo who allegedly provided shelter to the terrorists have been identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam. "Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack, as per NIA investigations," said one of the officials. The two men "provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever". The NIA arrested the duo under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Further investigations in the case are continuing, said officials. The April 22 attack triggered a military retaliation by India against " terror infrastructure " in Pakistan. The Centre said soon after the attack that it had been established that the attack was directed by Pakistan-based handlers and involved Pakistani terrorists who had crossed the Line of Control. Following the attack, India carried out strikes inside Pakistan at sites including the headquarters of the LeT and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) at Muridke and Bahawalpur, respectively. The air strikes destroyed key terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan as well as training camps and launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were carried out under Operation Sindoor , which is continuing, according to the government, with more punitive action not ruled out.
