Srinagar, March 14 -- An allocation of Rs. 224.44 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of the Shopian Bypass on National Highway-444, transforming it into a two-lane configuration with a paved shoulder. This development, spanning 8.925 km in Shopian district, will be executed using the EPC Mode. While making the announcement, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari said linking Shopian district with Pulwama on one side and Kulgam on the other within the UT of Jammu & Kashmir, the project holds strategic significance. It is poised to significantly benefit apple growers in south Kashmir, particularly in Shopian district, known as the "apple bowl of the valley," by facilitating swift transportation of produce to ...