The opening of the T5 tunnel on Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district is a major breakthrough in bridging the distance between the twin capital cities of the union territory. According to reports, the tunnel is likely to be thrown open next week and it will bypass the treacherous and often dangerous Panthyal stretch on the national highway. Since last year, the erratic and long closure of the only all-weather road which connects Kashmir with the rest of the country has been hogging headlines. Earlier, the frequent closures were blamed on the annual migration of shepherds and their livestock from the high mountains of Kashmir to the plains of Jammu. This migration had taken a huge toll on the Valley’s fruit economy with farmers complaining of fruit rot setting in as thousands of trucks laden with apples and pears got stranded on the highway for days. The issue had triggered conspiracy theories that the fruit industry, one of the backbones of Kashmir’s economy, was being deliberately targeted, prompting the administration to step in and dispel such rumours before the situation got out of hand. The frequent highway closure had also affected the movement of Amarnath yatris. Due to bad weather the yatra this past year remained largely restricted. With the winter season over and the heat of summer in the air, the highway woes are far from over. But they will be over soon. Another crucial tunnel will bypass the Cafeteria Morh stretch which is also likely to be commissioned by the end of this month. Once the two tunnels are thrown open, the experience of travelling on the highway will improve dramatically. The highway expansion is being directly monitored by the Union government as well as the J&K administration. From time to time, the home ministry has been seeking updates about the progress of the developmental works presently underway in the union territory, including the highway expansion. Chief Secretary Dr A K Mehta has been personally monitoring the pace of the work and DC Ramban has also done a commendable job. Once the highway expansion is completed, it will prove a boon for ordinary travellers as well as traders. The expanded road will reduce the distance between the two capitals and also the time required to cover the distance. With summer on the anvil, the experience of commuting on the highway is going to get better in the coming months.