The 20.35 km section between Muthi and Khati Chowk, valued initially at Rs 1.94 billion, was allotted to Mumbai-based Tarmat Infra Ltd in 2018. However, delays began after the company sublet portions of the contract to three smaller firms lacking national highway construction expertise, causing setbacks in design, approvals, and mobilisation.
Although Singla Constructions Ltd completed the 6 km stretch from Canal Head to Muthi, the remaining section under Tarmat has faced persistent delays. The project, originally due for completion in July 2021, was granted a one-year extension due to the pandemic. Yet, work has progressed at a sluggish pace, missing multiple deadlines.
Officials said the revised cost has now risen to Rs 2.15 billion, excluding annual escalation charges — around Rs 500 million higher than the sanctioned estimate. Additional costs have also resulted from redesigning an 80-metre double-span steel bridge over the Ranbir Canal, following objections from the Jammu & Kashmir Irrigation Department.
Despite claims that over 90 per cent of work is complete, sources report unfinished service lanes, incomplete drainage, and uneven surfaces across several stretches. The road has developed potholes and rough patches, even before formal handover to NHIDCL, raising concerns about quality and safety compliance.
Local residents and commuters have criticised the bumpy surface and open drains, which worsen during rains, posing risks for vehicles and ambulances ferrying patients from Akhnoor, Rajouri, and Poonch to Jammu.
An NHIDCL official confirmed that two key bridges near Muthi and Akhnoor Bypass remain under construction, with the new completion deadline pushed to March 2026. “The design changes delayed progress, but we expect full completion by next year. Any uneven patches will be repaired before final handover,” said Executive Director Sandeep Sudhera.
Originally sanctioned in 2015 for Rs 9.17 billion, the entire 26.35 km four-lane project from Bhagwati Nagar (Canal Head) to Khati Chowk near the Chenab Bypass Bridge has been implemented in phases. However, the Ranbir Canal bridge works have been stalled for months, further slowing completion.
Tarmat Infra’s subcontracting to multiple smaller agencies — including Satish Aggarwal & Co. (Jalandhar), Janak Raj Gupta (Jammu), and DRB Infra Projects (Hyderabad) — has also been cited as a factor behind execution inefficiencies and coordination delays.
With the road still incomplete after eight years, the project stands as a symbol of bureaucratic delays, poor supervision, and mounting costs, even as it continues to affect daily commuters and emergency services in the Jammu region.
