The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) is not just a road—it is the lifeline of Jammu and Kashmir, connecting trade, tourism, and defense across the region. Yet, a 1,000-meter stretch at Ramban continues to cripple this vital route, causing travel delays of up to four hours. This persistent bottleneck undermines the impact of over a decade of investment and over 70% completion of the four-laning project.
Despite significant progress elsewhere—like the 2.35-km Banihal bypass opened in January 2025—Ramban remains the choke point. Narrow single-lane roads at Dalwas and Mehad-Cafeteria, frequent landslides, and shooting stones routinely trigger massive traffic jams. The fallout is severe: patients trapped in ambulances, children missing exams, tourists stranded, and trucks carrying perishables suffering losses. One woman even gave birth in a stuck vehicle—an alarming indicator of the crisis.
The issue is not just geological. Administrative inefficiency, poor traffic regulation, lack of real-time control, and minimal police presence on the ground have deepened the chaos. NHAI’s explanations of technical issues, such as tunnel bulges, offer little comfort, especially as their June 2025 completion target grows increasingly doubtful. There are still no emergency lanes, diversions, or temporary relief measures in place.
This gridlock is damaging J&K’s economy, disrupting supply chains, eroding tourism, and threatening national security by delaying strategic movement. A multi-pronged solution is the need of the hour.
The NHAI must deploy additional resources, expert engineering, and geological solutions like slope stabilization and rockfall barriers. The J&K Traffic Police must take charge on the ground—enforcing lane discipline and managing traffic flow actively. Emergency corridors, temporary bypasses, and constant communication can offer short-term relief. Local stakeholders should be engaged to guide context-sensitive planning.
NH-44 is a national investment. A 1-km lapse should not hold a 300-km lifeline hostage. The Ramban bottleneck must be fixed—urgently, decisively, and sustainably.
