Sgr-Jmu highway can’t keep failing

The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remains Jammu and Kashmir’s economic lifeline, yet every spell of heavy rain brings the same story, i.e. landslides, road closures, stranded travellers and disrupted trade. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s visit to inspect restoration works underlines the seriousness of the recurring crisis. The emphasis on ensuring uninterrupted movement of fruit-laden trucks is particularly significant. Kashmir’s horticulture economy depends on timely transportation. Delays not only reduce the quality of perishable produce but also erode growers’ incomes and affect thousands of families linked to the supply chain. Protecting this sector requires more than temporary traffic management; it requires a dependable highway. The repeated disruptions expose a larger weakness in infrastructure planning. Restoration after every weather event is necessary, but it cannot substitute long-term resilience. Scientific slope stabilisation, better drainage, modern monitoring systems and preventive maintenance should become integral to highway management. Climate change has increased the frequency of extreme weather, making old approaches inadequate. Equally critical is institutional coordination. The National Highways Authority of India, executing agencies, Traffic Police and district administrations must operate with seamless coordination to minimise disruptions, clear blockages swiftly and provide accurate travel information to the public. Reliable connectivity is fundamental to economic development. Tourism, trade, healthcare, education and emergency services all depend on uninterrupted access through NH-44. Frequent closures undermine public confidence and impose hidden economic costs that extend well beyond transport. The Chief Minister’s inspection is a welcome signal of accountability. However, its success will be measured not by the speed of the current repairs but by whether the highway can withstand future weather events without repeatedly bringing life in the Valley to a standstill. Jammu and Kashmir needs not just a restored highway, but a resilient one.