NHAI teams working tirelessly to keep highway operational: Gadkari

Excelsior Correspondent

Jammu, Sept 16: Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today chaired a meeting with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and senior officers joining virtually to review the status of Jammu- Srinagar National Highway.

 “Despite relentless rains and a major hill slide, NHAI teams are working tirelessly to keep this key highway operational,” Gadkari said in a post on X.

He said that a 2-lane temporary diversion has been built, and traffic movement has resumed. Over a dozen excavators and 50+ earthmovers are deployed round the clock for clearing and repairs.

“We are determined to restore this vital National Highway to full strength at the earliest, ensuring safety and convenience for all road users,” Gadkari said.

Highlighting the difficulties faced by fruit growers and traders due to prolonged closure of the highway, the Chief Minister urged the Union Minister for uninterrupted passage for heavy vehicles. He said while blacktopping and maintenance of the road is necessary, it must not come at the cost of prolonged disruption of vital traffic movement.

“Blacktopping can wait for its turn. But large vehicles, especially 4-axle and 5-axle trucks, cannot be diverted through Mughal Road. This is the only route available for them, and huge number of trucks stranded on the Kashmir side alone, clearing this backlog is crucial,” the Chief Minister said.

He added that the fruit season is at its peak and further delays in transportation are causing heavy losses to growers and traders.

Omar emphasized that while small vehicles could be diverted, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44) must remain open for heavy traffic until all stranded vehicles are cleared. He stressed that blacktopping works should only be undertaken after backlog traffic on both sides is fully cleared.

Gadkari assured the Chief Minister that his concerns would be addressed.

The Chief Minister asked Chief Secretary to ensure lane discipline and to regulate traffic on the highway to facilitate smooth clearance.

Yesterday, Minister for Agriculture Javid Dar inspected the National Highway to make a firsthand assessment of the ground situation and subsequently briefed Omar in detail about the prevailing condition of the road. Taking note of the disruptions on NH-44 and the loss of vital connectivity with the rest of the country, the Chief Minister spoke with the Union Minister to convey the urgency of the matter. It was in this backdrop that the review meeting was convened, following the Chief Minister’s telephonic request to the Union Minister.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Rana, Javid Dar, and Satish Sharma, Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, along with senior officials of NHAI, NHIDCL, and other concerned agencies, both in person and virtually.