SRINAGAR: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) expects to complete the remaining works on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH44) and fully upgrade the corridor to four lanes by the end of 2027, a senior official said.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, NHAI Regional Officer (Jammu) Radhay Shyam Yadav said the highway’s length has been significantly reduced due to the construction of tunnels and bypasses.
“Earlier, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was around 300 kilometres long. With the construction of tunnels and other engineering interventions, the length has been reduced to 245 kilometres,” Yadav said.
He said that of the total 245-kilometre stretch, about 230 kilometres have already been completed, while construction work is continuing on the remaining 15 kilometres.
According to Yadav, a 3.5-kilometre tunnel between Digdol and Khooni Nallah in Ramban district is expected to be opened to traffic by the end of this month.
“Once this tunnel is commissioned, only about 11.5 kilometres of the highway project will remain under construction,” he said.
The NHAI official said the viaduct ahead of Ramsoo and the tunnel between Marog and Digdol are targeted for completion by June 2027. However, he noted that any unforeseen delays could push completion to the end of 2027.
“We expect that by the end of 2027, the remaining tunnel work will be completed and the entire Jammu-Srinagar National Highway will be fully upgraded from two lanes to four lanes,” Yadav said.
NH44 serves as the primary road link between Jammu and Srinagar and is considered the lifeline of the Union Territory, carrying passenger, tourist, pilgrim and freight traffic throughout the year.
On the Katra-Amritsar-Delhi Expressway project, Yadav said construction work is progressing steadily and the Jammu and Kashmir section is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
He said nearly 90 per cent of work on the first three packages from Balsua in Pathankot to Kathua has been completed, and these stretches are likely to be opened between September and October this year.
“The Kunjwani-Satwari stretch in Jammu is also expected to be opened within the next four to five months,” he said.
Yadav added that around 70 per cent progress has been achieved on the Kunjwani-Domail and Domail-Katra sections.
“By the end of next year, we expect to make the entire expressway stretch in Jammu and Kashmir operational for traffic,” he said.
The expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Katra and Delhi to around six hours.
The NHAI is also executing the 58-kilometre Jammu Ring Road project. According to Yadav, work on 55 kilometres has already been completed, while construction of a three-kilometre tunnel is continuing.
Ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, the NHAI has undertaken several measures to facilitate smooth traffic movement on NH44.
“A total of nine underpasses are being constructed, of which eight have already been completed. In addition, macadamisation has been carried out on stretches where the highway is still operating as a two-lane road,” Yadav said.
Referring to the extensive damage caused to NH44 during heavy rainfall in 2025, Yadav said all damaged road sections have been repaired and restoration work on affected bridges is nearing completion.
“All damaged portions of the road have been repaired. The damaged bridges will be opened to traffic after completion of repair works. In some locations, construction of major protection walls is still underway, but traffic movement has been maintained,” he said.
To improve commuter facilities, the NHAI is also developing 20 wayside amenities along NH44 and other highway corridors.
“One such facility has already been commissioned at Qazigund, while two more facilities at Marhama and Jhajjar Kotli are nearing completion and will be opened soon,” Yadav said.
The NHAI official also said the authority maintains close coordination with agencies including the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Public Works Department to ensure efficient management of highway infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir.
