#JAMMU: The strategically important 130-km #Udhampur–#Dhar road is set to be upgraded from two lanes to four lanes, 53 years after its construction. The ambitious project is estimated to cost around ₹3,000 crore, with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) expected to be prepared within a year at an estimated cost of ₹6 crore.
The road connects Udhampur on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway with Dhar village on the #Chamba–#Pathankot Highway in #Punjab, providing an important alternative route to the Jammu–Pathankot and Jammu–Srinagar highways.
The proposed widening will substantially increase traffic capacity and improve connectivity. The existing stretch has 48 bridges and two minor tunnels, with bridge strengthening and duplication works already undertaken at several locations.
The project will include a wider carriageway, a central median to enhance road safety, and slope stabilisation measures to reduce landslide risks along vulnerable hilly stretches.
Given its strategic importance, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) currently maintains the road, while the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has entrusted the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) with preparation of the DPR.
Officials said the proposal had remained pending earlier due to technical issues. However, the route’s strategic importance has grown amid evolving security challenges in the Jammu region following Operation Sindoor. The road has also been used for the movement of troops and logistics to remote areas.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said the widening process would be expedited, noting that the project would strengthen regional connectivity, facilitate public movement and further reinforce national security and defence preparedness.
