 Prior to 1947, it was an internal jagir ruled by a tributary ruler in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.India's longest road tunnel, the 9.2 km long Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel or Patnitop Tunnel is about 2 km from Chenani town and reduces the distance from Jammu to Srinagar.It also reduces traffic jams on NH44 (old NH1A) that occur due to snowfall and avalanche in winter at Patnitop.