Srinagar, May 23, 2026- In a major infrastructure push for Jammu and Kashmir, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated plans for the construction of a proposed four-lane highway corridor connecting Katra to Kulgam via Reasi, Mahore, Gulabgarh, and Nandimarg.
The ambitious road project is aimed at significantly improving road connectivity between the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, while enhancing tourism, trade, and strategic mobility across remote and hilly areas of the Union Territory.
According to official tender documents issued by NHAI’s Regional Office Jammu, consultancy services have been invited for the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed four-laning project. The corridor is planned to connect with NH-44 and is expected to provide a faster and more efficient alternative route between the two regions.
The proposed alignment will pass through several mountainous and underserved areas including Reasi, Mahore, Gulabgarh, and Nandimarg before reaching Kulgam in south Kashmir. Officials believe the corridor will play a crucial role in reducing travel time, improving all-weather connectivity, and supporting socio-economic development in remote regions.
The project is also expected to strengthen tourism infrastructure by improving access to important pilgrimage and tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir. Katra, the base camp for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, already witnesses heavy tourist inflow annually, and enhanced road connectivity is likely to further boost tourism-related economic activity in the region.
Officials stated that the DPR preparation will include traffic studies, feasibility analysis, environmental assessment, and alignment planning before the project moves toward approval and execution stages.
The development comes amid ongoing efforts by NHAI and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to expand and modernize highway infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir under various national connectivity initiatives.
