Ahead of Amarnath Yatra, admn takes steps to improve NH-44 infra, safety

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, June 26

With the monsoon season set to hit Jammu and Kashmir early next month, all eyes are on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), which gets blocked with even a minor spell of rain and will be used by lakhs of pilgrims for the Amarnath Yatra.

The Amarnath pilgrimage will begin on June 29, during which thousands of vehicles will use the NH-44 to reach the holy cave shrine in Anantnag district of Kashmir. The pilgrims will first reach Jammu and take a halt here before starting their journey in cavalcades, along with heavy security cover towards Kashmir.

Due to unplanned construction at many points along the NH, landslides and shooting stones are a common sight, especially in Ramban. The vital road link to the Valley sometimes also gets blocked in Udhampur district. In Ramban, the hotspots of landslides, including Kishtwari Pather, Mehar-Cafeteria Morh and Panthyal, are often shut for hours by the traffic police.

The condition of the Pathankot-Jammu section of the NH is also poor at some spots in Samba district, where construction work is going on. Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, along with the NHAI Project Director and SSP (Traffic), Rural, recently reviewed the progress of works being executed on the NH in Jammu, Samba and Kathua. He directed the officials concerned to ensure smooth road surface for hassle-free movement of vehicles ahead of the pilgrimage.

Kumar also appealed to the residents in these areas, especially the owners of commercial establishments, to install CCTVs for proper surveillance, especially on the highway. In a step to ensure smooth traffic flow on the NH from Nashri to Banihal in Ramban during the Amarnath Yatra, Ramban DC Baseer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary has also directed senior officials of district administration and the NHAI to make foolproof arrangements.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) deploys heavy machinery to clear the highway when it is blocked due to mudslide and boulders that slide down the adjoining hills. Even last year, the Amarnath Yatra was halted many times due to the closure of the highway.

The DC had recently reviewed the strategy to expedite the ongoing construction work on the NH-44 four-laning project, aiming to provide hassle-free road connectivity for pilgrims. The Srinagar Meteorological Centre has said that there would be a spell of rain and thunderstorms from June 29 to July 2 at many places in J&K.