Speed up Jammu-Poonch NH widening work, demand locals

Residents of Poonch have urged the government to expedite the widening of the Jammu-Poonch National Highway, citing poor road conditions that severely hampered mobility during the recent conflict between India and Pakistan from May 7 to May 10.

Locals claim that travelling from Poonch to Jammu and other areas became extremely difficult due to the current state of the 168-km highway. Many stretches remain unpaved and in urgent need of attention.

A recent visit to Poonch via National Highway 144A revealed that several sections of this vital road remain incomplete, with only loose gravel in place, restricting vehicle speed to below 20 km/h. Travel between Akhnoor and Rajouri, and further towards Poonch, was notably slow due to the deplorable state of the road.

Narinder Singh, chief of the Poonch District Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, said that during the recent shelling by Pakistan, several people were injured, and shifting them to better medical facilities was extremely challenging due to the poor condition of the highway. “While we appreciate that the highway is being widened, the pace of work needs to be increased so that residents of these remote areas don’t continue to suffer,” he said.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) are jointly executing the project. The BRO has achieved breakthroughs on several critical tunnels that will enhance connectivity between the strategic regions of Rajouri, Poonch, and Jammu. The upgraded road will feature four tunnels — Kandi, Sungal, Nowshera, and Bhimber Gali. Work on the Kandi, Sungal, and Nowshera tunnels is nearing completion. Along the highway, construction activity was visible at several locations. However, a worker noted that progress often slows down due to adverse weather conditions.

Mohammad Irfan, a resident of Poonch, said the widening of the highway will not only ease civilian travel but also strengthen the operational capability of security forces. “Once completed, the highway will be a boon for both civilians and the Army, allowing faster troop mobilisation to Rajouri and Poonch,” he said.

In a parliamentary reply in November last year, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth stated that the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is upgrading the 168-km Akhnoor-Poonch stretch of NH-144A to a two-lane highway with paved shoulders, including four tunnels covering 4.85 km. The project has been divided into eight construction packages.

“So far, about 83 km have been completed. The remaining work is targeted for phased completion between 2025 and 2027,” he said.