Sherbibi Bridge Project Details: Transforming the Ramban-Banihal NH44 Stretch

Kishtwari Pathar | Nachlana Sherbibi Bridge
The Sherbibi-Nachlana Bridge (often referred to locally as the Sherbibi Bridge) is a critical infrastructure component on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44). It is part of the massive four-laning project aimed at making the highway an all-weather road.

Here is a detailed description of the bridge and its significance:

1. Location and Geography

The bridge is located in the Ramban district, specifically between the towns of Ramban and Banihal. This particular stretch (the Sherbibi-Nachlana-Magerkot sector) is notorious for being one of the most difficult and landslide-prone zones of the entire 270-km highway.

2. Engineering and Purpose

Bypassing Landslide Zones: The bridge was designed to bypass a treacherous "sinking" area of the old road that frequently collapsed during heavy rains or snowfall, cutting off the Kashmir Valley from the rest of India.

Structure: It is a high-altitude viaduct/bridge that elevates traffic above the vulnerable mountain slopes. By moving the road onto a stable bridge structure rather than carved-out hillsides, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has significantly reduced the risk of blockages.

Four-Laning: It is a key link in the Ramban–Banihal section of the NH-44 four-laning project, which involves a series of tunnels and bridges to straighten the route and avoid the steepest, most dangerous gradients.

3. Impact on Travel

All-Weather Connectivity: Along with the nearby Peerah-Chanderkot and Banihal Bypass tunnels/bridges, the Sherbibi Bridge ensures that the highway remains open even during harsh winter conditions.

Reduced Travel Time: Before these upgrades, the Ramban-Banihal stretch could take several hours due to narrow roads and constant traffic jams; the new bridges and tunnels have cut this time down to roughly 20–30 minutes.

Safety: It eliminates the need for vehicles to pass through "shooting stone" areas (where rocks frequently fall from the cliffs onto the road).

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