J&K national highways witnessed major damage since 2014: Gadkari

New Delhi, Aug 6: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed multiple incidents of landslides, cloudbursts, flash floods and major damage to National Highway infrastructure, with the Centre informing the Lok Sabha that a contractor was blacklisted and a penalty equivalent to one per cent of the project cost was imposed in a 2022 case in the Union Territory.
The details were provided by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari in response to Starred Question No. 280 raised by Lok Sabha member Captain Viriato Fernandes regarding damage to roads and flyovers.
As per Annexure-I of the reply, Jammu and Kashmir reported one project in 2022 involving major failure or major structural damage on National Highways, including bridges and flyovers. A penalty of 1% of the project cost was imposed on the EPC contractor, while the contractor was blacklisted.
The Ministry said National Highways are constructed as per stipulated quality standards under Indian Roads Congress specifications and codes. It said Authority’s Engineers/Independent Engineers are appointed for day-to-day supervision, while executing agencies undertake inspections and third-party quality auditors are deployed for independent quality audits on a case-to-case basis.
The government has also listed five major landslide-related entries in Jammu and Kashmir in Annexure-III, covering the Udhampur-Ramban, Ramban-Banihal, Marog-Digdol, Chenani-Sudhmahadev and Sonamarg Tunnel stretches.
On NH-44 Udhampur-Ramban, cloudbursts and heavy rainfall in 2025 triggered landslides at Bali Nallah and Tharad, besides muck and slush accumulation at Karol and Kowbagh.
In 2026, a massive landslide at Dewal near Samroli at Km 79 blocked both carriageways and damaged a retaining wall. The government stated that restoration and clearance work has been completed.
On the Ramban-Banihal section of NH-44, a cloudburst in 2025 caused heavy slush/debris at Seri, muck accumulation in Tunnel T-2 and a landslide at Kela Mor. In 2026, a landslide again blocked both carriageways. Restoration and clearance work has been completed, the reply said.
A landslide was also reported in 2025 at Marog on the Marog-Digdol, Ramban-Banihal section of NH-44 following a cloudburst. Restoration and clearance work was subsequently completed.
On the NH-244 Chenani-Sudhmahadev Road, landslides occurred at multiple locations between Km 1+650 and Km 14+200 in 2025 due to rainfall, flash floods and cloudbursts. The government said the landslides were cleared and traffic restored.
The reply further mentions a landslide incident in 2023 on the NH-1 Sonamarg Tunnel Project. An audit was conducted following the incident and slope-protection measures were installed.
The Ministry said extreme rainfall and landslides are generally witnessed in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats, causing damage to infrastructure, including NH sections. Debris removal and restoration of affected roads are undertaken immediately, while long-term remedial measures are also taken up in landslide-prone areas.
On drainage-related flooding, the government said NH drainage systems are designed considering expected traffic, road configuration, hydrology, hydro-geological conditions, catchment areas, road geometry, cross slopes, excavation and landfill areas and existing drainage systems.
It, however, said localised drainage problems can occur due to non-clearance of existing drainage systems, blockage of drainage outfalls by unauthorised construction, poor maintenance and unprecedented rainfall, which can lead to flooding of drainage systems and low-lying areas or agricultural fields near NHs.
The Centre also outlined several measures for developing disaster-resilient NH infrastructure in hilly areas, including improved DPRs, hill-slope protection, better construction practices, slope stabilisation, landslide monitoring and early-warning systems.
It said MoUs have also been signed with agencies including the Defence Geo-informatics Research Establishment (DGRE), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM) for geo-hazard mitigation, geological investigations, tunnel safety, rock mechanics and related technical support.
The government further stated that a research scheme through IIT Roorkee has been taken up for developing guidelines for assessment of hillslope instability using instrumentation and real-time monitoring.
The question was raised by Captain Viriato Fernandes, while Union Minister Nitin Jairam Gadkari provided the reply in the Lok Sabha on August 6, 2026. (KNO)