Janta Dal United (JDU) Party President G.M. Shaheen on Friday appealed to the Hon’ble Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, to take immediate, high-level intervention for the time-bound completion of the Banihal–Ramban stretch of the National Highway, describing the project as extensive in scope and increasingly difficult to handle due to prolonged delays and administrative lapses.
Shaheen said the combination of massive construction activity, unstable terrain, poor road surface, and unmanaged traffic has turned this vital corridor into a daily ordeal for the public. He stated that patients, students, traders, transporters, tourists, and emergency services are routinely trapped for hours, leading to economic losses, medical risks, and immense human suffering.
Shaheen stressed that while the scale and technical complexity of the project are acknowledged, the lack of strict monitoring and phased execution has worsened the situation. He urged the Ministry to strengthen on-ground supervision, increase deployment of machinery and skilled manpower, enforce round-the-clock work schedules, and introduce effective traffic management to prevent chaos.
He further appreciated the proactive role of Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari in expanding national highway infrastructure, including the Srinagar–Baramulla road, but underlined that the long-pending Ramban portion remains the most critical bottleneck disrupting seamless connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir.
Shaheen warned that if the project continues to remain poorly managed, public anger will intensify, and demanded decisive, time-bound action in the larger public interest.
