Govt completes NH-44 safety upgrade in J&K: Gadkari

New Delhi, Mar 13: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that key safety and commuter facility works have been completed on the strategic NH-44 in Jammu & Kashmir at a total project cost of approximately Rs 171.25 crore.
The initiatives include blackspot rectification at SIDCO Chowk and the Gole Mela–Sangoor stretch, the construction of a Limited Vehicle User Path (LVUP) with service roads at Samba, and the development of modern Wayside Amenities at Jhajjar Kotli, Qazigund, and Marhama.
The minister stated that these locations had been identified as accident-prone sections and high-conflict traffic points along the highway. The completed interventions aim to improve traffic circulation, enable safer turning movements, and optimize road geometry to enhance safety and ease congestion.
According to the minister, the Wayside Amenities developed along the corridor will provide rest areas, parking facilities, food courts, and sanitation services for commuters, tourists, and truck drivers.
Gadkari emphasized that these improvements will facilitate smoother and safer movement of passenger and freight traffic on NH-44, the crucial corridor connecting Jammu with the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country.
“Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we remain committed to strengthening highway infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir to promote connectivity, economic growth, and tourism,” the minister further added. (KNS)