Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has formally requested the Union Minister for Road, Transport, and Highways to grant highway status to the Bandipora-Sumbal-Gurez road. This action follows a letter from MLA Bandipora, Nizamuddin Bhat, who urged the Chief Minister to intervene in this long-standing issue.
In response to Bhat’s request, Chief Minister Abdullah confirmed that he has communicated with the Union Ministry regarding the matter. “This has reference to your D.O. letter dated 20-12-2024, containing the issue relating to the grant of National Highway status to the road from Sumbal to Gurez. The issue has been taken up with the Union Ministry vide officer letter No. HCM/PS/2024/ND-04 for consideration,” stated Abdullah in his letter to Bhat.
MLA Nizamuddin Bhat had previously highlighted the strategic, economic, and accessibility importance of upgrading the Bandipora-Sumbal-Gurez road to highway status. Despite its significance, the road has not yet received this designation.
Bhat also brought up the issue during the first session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in November last year, urging the assembly to address the demand promptly. The push for highway status aims to improve connectivity and support the region’s development needs.
