Jammu-Srinagar national highway: 17 spots need repair

30 May 2024 CW Team

Deputy Commissioner Ramban Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary stated that the primary objective of the visit was to assess the vulnerable points along the 56-kilometre stretch from Nashri to Banihal, which are in need of urgent repairs before the yatra. The inspection team, comprising local police, deputy inspector general (DIG), traffic police, and senior officers of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), also evaluated the traffic arrangements in Banihal town and the accommodation capacity of 'yatri niwas' at Lamber.

The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine, situated at an altitude of 3,880 meters in the south Kashmir Himalayas, spans 52 days and is scheduled to commence on June 29 and conclude on August 19.

The deputy commissioner mentioned that 17 critical spots requiring urgent repairs between Nashri and Banihal were identified, and it was decided to macadamize the Banihal market road. The repairs are slated for completion within a week, followed by a dry run to ensure a smooth journey for pilgrims, tourists, and commuters.

The deputy commissioner said the security of the pilgrim convoys was also discussed, while it was also decided to enhance the capacity of the 'yatri niwas' at Lamber and activate all facilities for short-stay pilgrims, tourists, and commuters in case of road closure. The highway has interruptions during the monsoon season due to landslides throughout the whole route in the Ramban and Banihal regions, in addition to the migration of nomads seeking greener pastures for their animals.

According to one of the officials, at least 17 weak spots along the vital Jammu-Srinagar national highway need immediate repairs to guarantee smooth traffic movement, with an emphasis on the approaching Amarnath Yatra. During the ongoing four-laning project, a high-level team of authorities visited the 270-km national highway on Tuesday, the sole all-weather route connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, to find the bottlenecks obstructing traffic flow. Deputy Commissioner Ramban Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary stated that the primary objective of the visit was to assess the vulnerable points along the 56-kilometre stretch from Nashri to Banihal, which are in need of urgent repairs before the yatra. The inspection team, comprising local police, deputy inspector general (DIG), traffic police, and senior officers of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), also evaluated the traffic arrangements in Banihal town and the accommodation capacity of 'yatri niwas' at Lamber. The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine, situated at an altitude of 3,880 meters in the south Kashmir Himalayas, spans 52 days and is scheduled to commence on June 29 and conclude on August 19. The deputy commissioner mentioned that 17 critical spots requiring urgent repairs between Nashri and Banihal were identified, and it was decided to macadamize the Banihal market road. The repairs are slated for completion within a week, followed by a dry run to ensure a smooth journey for pilgrims, tourists, and commuters. The deputy commissioner said the security of the pilgrim convoys was also discussed, while it was also decided to enhance the capacity of the 'yatri niwas' at Lamber and activate all facilities for short-stay pilgrims, tourists, and commuters in case of road closure. The highway has interruptions during the monsoon season due to landslides throughout the whole route in the Ramban and Banihal regions, in addition to the migration of nomads seeking greener pastures for their animals.

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