Srinagar: Ah, the grand engineering marvel known as the Jammu-Srinagar NH-44! Upgraded with shiny four-lane asphalt and state-of-the-art tunnels, this highway was proudly touted as the ultimate, all-weather lifeline. Yet, here we are in peak summer—when ice creams melt faster than human patience—and the road has decided to do what it does best: completely shut down. Apparently, having four lanes instead of two simply means there are now twice as many lanes for mudslides to occupy, and double the space for stranded motorists to park their regrets.
Who needs a smooth expressway when nature’s falling rocks retain sole right of way? Frustrated tourists heading for cool valleys find themselves trapped in summer asphalt saunas, staring at cool hills that feel mockingly out of reach. While engineers celebrate cutting travel times on paper, commuters are rediscovering the ancient art of tailgate camping. It turns out that no matter how many billions you pour into concrete, a single grumpy hillside during summer rains can effortlessly turn a modern superhighway into India’s most scenic parking lot.
