It’s a daily ordeal
What was supposed to ease connectivity and improve travel between Baramulla and Uri has now become a daily ordeal for commuters. The ongoing two-lane widening project of the Baramulla-Uri national highway, currently being executed at multiple locations including NS Bridge, Bandi, Rajarwani, Mohra, Boniyar, and Sheeri is causing massive traffic chaos on this strategic stretch on a daily basis.
Instead of streamlining travel, the work has led to hours-long traffic jams, with no visible strategy in place for managing the heavy inflow of vehicles. The absence of proper traffic regulation has turned the highway into a choke point, affecting thousands - from office-goers and students to patients needing urgent care.
Commuters complain that the situation has worsened over the past few months as the construction work proceeds simultaneously at multiple points along the route. “There is no proper deployment of traffic, other personnel, and vehicles remain stranded for hours, especially around Rajarwani and NS Bridge,” said Aijaz Ahmad, a daily commuter from Uri.
Adding to the distress is the unregulated dust pollution caused by excavation work. Mounds of dug-up earth lie along the roadside, generating clouds of dust that hamper visibility and pose a serious health risk. Despite this, no water sprinkling is being done to contain the dust, raising concerns about respiratory issues among locals and travellers.
Environmental concerns are also mounting. The widening work has involved large-scale tree felling along the highway. However, residents say not a single sapling has been planted in return. “We understand the need for development, but cutting trees without any plan for afforestation is not acceptable,” Abrar Bhat, a local social activist told me.
Particularly alarming is the condition near the Nand Singh (NS) Bridge in Uri, where frequent landslides triggered by rain have led to the road being closed as many as three times a week. These recurring closures have made travel unpredictable and dangerous, especially for those needing emergency services.
Moreover, locals in Uri allege that the work being undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is far from a proper two-laning.
“What is being done is just minor widening, not a full-fledged upgrade. This is nowhere near the standard of a national highway,” claimed residents of Uri town.
As frustration grows among commuters and residents alike, there is an urgent need for better coordination, environmental management, and transparent communication from the authorities overseeing the project. Until then, what was envisioned as a path to progress continues to remain a road of disruption.
The residents of Uri have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, and the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally oversee the project to ensure transparent execution and ease daily commuting for everyone.
Author is New Delhi-based journalist and he hails from border town Uri
