SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s lifeline National Highway-44 has suffered repeated damage from landslides, cloudbursts and heavy rainfall over the past three years, with several stretches blocked and retaining structures damaged, the Union government informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
In a state-wise account of major landslides on National Highways since 2014, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways identified five major incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, most of them along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), underscoring the corridor’s continued vulnerability to extreme weather.
The ministry said the Udhampur-Ramban stretch witnessed extensive damage in both 2025 and 2026. Cloudbursts and intense rainfall triggered landslides at Bali Nallah and Tharad, while muck and slush accumulated at Karol and Kowbagh. In 2026, a massive landslide at Dewal near Samroli blocked both carriageways and damaged a retaining wall, forcing restoration work before traffic could resume.
Another vulnerable stretch, Ramban-Banihal, was also hit repeatedly. The Centre said a cloudburst in 2025 caused heavy slush and debris at Seri, filled Tunnel T-2 with muck and triggered a landslide at Kela Mor. Fresh landslides in 2026 again blocked both carriageways, disrupting traffic until clearance operations restored connectivity.
The ministry also reported a cloudburst-induced landslide at Marog on the Ramban-Banihal section in 2025. On NH-244, connecting Chenani with Sudhmahadev, multiple landslides caused by rainfall, flash floods and cloudbursts struck several locations between kilometre 1.650 and 14.200, prompting emergency clearance to restore traffic.
The Sonamarg Tunnel project was not spared either. A landslide was reported at the project site in 2023, following which an audit was conducted and slope protection measures were installed to minimise future risks.
The government said highway authorities undertake immediate restoration after such incidents and are implementing long-term mitigation measures in hilly regions. These include improved slope stabilisation, enhanced quality standards for construction, early warning systems for landslide-prone areas, and new specifications for rockfall protection to improve the resilience of National Highway infrastructure.
