The recent one-day spell of rain was enough to paralyze traffic and dismantle the claim of NH-44 being an all-weather highway.

By Peerzada Mohsin Shafi

Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44), the only road connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India, has long been seen as a strategic lifeline, essential for trade, transport, tourism, and security. However, despite ambitious plans and significant financial investments to transform it into an all-weather, four-lane expressway, the highway today stands as a symbol of engineering failures, environmental neglect, and policy oversight.

Initially, like many regional roads, NH-44 served its purpose when traffic volumes were lower and demand on the infrastructure was modest. Recognizing the growing pressure on the route and the strategic need for year-round connectivity, the Government of India undertook a major highway upgradation project in 2011. The road from Jammu to Srinagar was divided into several construction packages, with detailed project reports (DPRs) prepared by consultants outlining methodologies for expansion. From the Kashmir side, nearly 80 percent of the original alignment was changed, and after numerous delays, this section was completed in 2017

Simultaneously, work began in the Jammu division. The Jammu to Udhampur section was completed in 2017, offering immediate relief to commuters. The construction of the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, later named Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel, added further convenience by bypassing avalanche-prone and landslide-prone areas. Yet, as work moved deeper into the mountainous terrain of Ramban and Banihal, the project encountered its most formidable challenge.

The Ramban–Banihal stretch became the most problematic and dangerous portion of the highway. The initial DPR proposed expanding the highway by cutting vertical slopes along the existing route—an approach shockingly undertaken without comprehensive geotechnical investigations. The result was devastating….

https://kashmirobserver.net/2025/04/21/highway-to-havoc-who-or-what-broke-nh-44/

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