It is a well established fact that the national highways are the backbone and lifelines of every country. In India, national highway enable better road connectivity to other states, facilitating smooth transportation and trade. These highways connect cities, states and other regions and are equally crucial for economic growth and transportation. Therefore, these highways should always remain in good condition and their development reflects the country's progress in improving transportation and logistics. Many of us may have travelled through Jammu Srinagar NH-44 highway and have also seen that this vital highway connects the valley of kashmir to the rest of India.
I used to travel through this highway more frequently and I often felt perplexed about the deadline of the four laning project of Jammu Srinagar national highway. The work of four laning is going on from the last several years but no one knows its actual completion year because of the road complexities and mountainous region. Though the travel time from Jammu to srinagar and vice versa have definitely been shortened but still this road remains highly risky. The stretch between Ramban to Banihal is prone to accidents. This stretch had already taken many innocent lives because of road accidents. We generally see many drivers, mostly Tata Sumo and Tavera drivers, indulge in rash and reckless driving while passing through this tough stretch. As this stretch from Ramban to Banihal have many sharp and blind curves, so handling the speedy vehicle becomes impossible on single lanes. Surprisingly, we won't see many traffic personnels on this mountainous stretch for manning the daily burgeoning traffic from Jammu to Srinagar and vice versa. Tourists came to Kashmir throughout the year in large numbers and they have to pass through this tough route to reach the valley. This the government and authorities at the helm of affairs must depute adequate traffic personnels on Ramban-Banihal stretch in order to keep watch and strict vigil over those drivers who drive rashly and recklessly. Those drivers who are not adhering traffic protocols must be dealt with an irony hand. Driving rashly in this stretch means putting the innocent lives of other travellers at risk.
Further, nomadic community can also been seen large in number migrating as per season on this national highway with their livestock. These include Gujjars and Bakerwals, they move from plains to the upper areas in summer and return during winter. This is a traditional nomadic part of their lifestyle. It too contribute towards traffic congestion particularly when large herds of sheeps, goats and horses cover significant Port of this National Highway. Combined with ongoing four-laning work, heavy truck movement, and tourist traffic, this leads to severe traffic jams and chaos at several points along the highway. However, during the rainy season or in monsoon, this national highway especially the stretch from Samroli to Chenani and from Ramban to Banihal becomes risky and deadly Due to ongoing construction works and four laning of this highway by cutting mountains around, the driving through this route becomes vulnerable as these mountains are hollow and there are high possibility and chances of landslides and shooting stones. So all commuters, drivers, tourists, visitors, devotees etc faces extreme difficulty while passing through this stretch. It is the sole responsibility of the NHAI and other executing agencies to speed up the four laning project so that travelers may not be face any difficult.
The four-laning project of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) started many years ago with the promise of improving connectivity and reducing travel time between Jammu and Srinagar. However, even after all this time, the project is still unfinished, causing significant inconvenience to commuters. This highway is among the busiest in the region, with thousands of vehicles, including trucks, buses, private cars, and public transport, traveling daily. Unfortunately, the single-lane sections at several points create massive traffic jams and chaos for drivers. The situation gets worse during peak hours, making journeys a test of patience. The highway also becomes very dangerous during the rainy season. Landslides, falling rocks, and frequent accidents make it risky and often impassable. These ongoing problems not only disrupt travel but also raise serious concerns about road safety and infrastructure management. Given its strategic and economic significance, completing this project on time is essential. Authorities must speed up the remaining work and apply strong measures for slope stabilization and traffic management to ensure safe and smooth travel on this vital road for Jammu and Kashmir.
(Writer: Vivek Koul)
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