Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that key safety and commuter facility works worth about ₹171.25 crore have been completed on the NH-44 corridor in Jammu & Kashmir, aimed at improving road safety and enhancing travel convenience.
In a statement, Gadkari said the initiatives include blackspot rectification at SIDCO Chowk and the Gole Mela–Sangoor stretch, construction of a Limited Vehicular Underpass (LVUP) with service roads at Samba, and development of modern Wayside Amenities at Jhajjar Kotli, Qazigund, and Marhama.
He said these locations had been identified as accident-prone sections and high-conflict traffic points along the highway. The completed interventions, he added, will improve traffic circulation, enable safer turning movements, and optimise road geometry, significantly enhancing safety while easing congestion.
Gadkari further said the newly developed Wayside Amenities along the corridor provide rest areas, parking facilities, food courts, and sanitation services for commuters, tourists and truck drivers travelling on the vital route.
He said the improvements will facilitate smoother and safer movement of passenger and freight traffic on NH-44, which serves as 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,” Gadkari said.
