Connectivity and removal of bottlenecks along highway are now essential components of infrastructural development. For the hilly State of Jammu and Kashmir, building of new roads and repairing or upgrading the existing ones is a stupendous task. Besides adequate funds, it requires high-level mountain-roads building expertise. Road building envisages not only the roads but also many other components such as tunnels, bridges, culverts, embankments, balustrades, lighting arrangement and maintenance. Nearly a decade ago, the idea of 4-lanning of National Highway from Lakhanpur to Srinagar was conceived. Increasing traffic on this highway, its strategic importance, the urgency of shipments of military hardware, spurt in the number of tourists to the Valley and Ladakh, recurring traffic accidents owing to narrow roads and landslides, all necessitated widening of the National Highway. Inclement weather usually forced suspension of traffic leading to inconvenience to the passengers. Additionally, unprecedented spurt in economic activities require matching infrastructure.
Although the National Highway Authority of India has undertaken the project, yet the State Government is deeply interested in keeping the track of its progress. In a high-level meeting, the Chief Minister recently reviewed the success of 4-lanning of the Highway at several sectors along Lakhanpur – Srinagar road. The work is in progress by patches. Removing of bottlenecks and acquisition of land are among some of the complicated things to achieve. A number of lawsuits are pending in the courts wherein stakeholders claim higher remuneration for acquired land. There are disputes with the Forest Department because some acquired land falls under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department. These disputes take time to resolve. Hence, there is delay in bringing the project to completion. As expressed by the Chief Minister, the Government is determined to overcome all hurdles and see to it that the project is completed.
Utility of 4-lanning of this Highway cannot be underestimated in the background of the rail connectivity now underway. The rail track linking Udhampur with Qazigund is one of the most difficult and exciting tracks in Asia as it runs over the Pir Panchal range of the Himalayas. The track passes over rugged mountains crags not connecting villages and habitats falling in the region. Only the National Highway, to which are linked villages and habitats spread over the mountain heights, serves that purpose. 4-lanning of the Highway needs tunneling at two sites, Chenani to Nashri and Banihal to Qazigund, and that is already underway. The Chief Minister has given instructions for speeding up the project and its completion within the stipulated time. Once the 4-lanning is complete, it will mean revolutionary change in the economy of the State, and will result in great spurt in movement of men and material along this strategic Highway. Once it becomes functional, meaning traffic worthy, the project is bound to usher in a new and unprecedented chapter in the history, economy and life of the region and the people living along the Highway. In second phase of connectivity, which will begin soon after the 4-lanning is completed, linking the hinterland to the main highway will be undertaken. In short, many centuries old isolation of mountainous villages and habitats will end, and their people will step into modern life with education, health, electricity, drinking water and other facilities available to them. It will be a big step along the path of development of the State of Jammu and Kashmir so that it steps out of the era of backwardness and sees the light of modernity.
Connectivity programme in the State does not end with the 4-lanning of the Highway. Even after the 4-lanning is done and the rail link completed, much remains to do in the State in terms of connectivity. We need rail link between Jammu and Poonch on one hand and Baramulla to Lolab on the other. At the same time, we need to build a network of link roads in the hilly region of Jammu, Bhaderwah, Doda, Reasi, and Udhampur as well. This is a long-term programme but crucial to economic development of the State.
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