'Return the highway if you cannot maintain it': CM Omar Abdullah tells centre

September 15, 2025 by News Desk

Photo/ Umaisar Gull~ TK

Amid growing outrage over stalled apple shipments on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the Union Government should hand over control of the highway to the Jammu & Kashmir government if it cannot maintain it.

Speaking to reporters, Omar said, “This highway falls under the jurisdiction of the Government of India. If they cannot maintain it, they should hand it over to us. I will deploy a team of engineers who are currently available here.”

He criticized the Centre for failing to make the road fully functional. “Enough is enough. We have been patient because they kept assuring us daily that restoration work would be done, but it didn’t happen,” he said.

Omar also said he would raise the matter with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. “I will speak today with Gadkari Ji and request that the highway be handed over to us and restored for truck movement,” he said.

On the issue of apple transport by rail, Omar said, “Running just one train is not enough. We are thankful for starting the train service, but it should operate regularly so that fruit growers have the option to transport apples either by train or by road.”