PMGSY-IV: 110 road projects, 598 km sanctioned for Udhampur-Doda region
Synopsis
In a single batch, 110 PMGSY-IV road projects covering 598 km and worth ₹1,503.53 crore have been sanctioned for the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda-Kishtwar region — one of the largest rural road interventions in Jammu and Kashmir's hilly terrain. Udhampur already ranks among India's top three districts for PMGSY sanctions, and 46,972 people stand to gain direct connectivity for the first time.
Key Takeaways
Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of 110 PMGSY-IV road projects on 29 August 2026 in the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda-Kishtwar region.
The projects cover 598.455 km at a sanctioned cost of ₹1,503.53 crore under PMGSY-IV, Batch-I of 2026-27 .
An estimated 46,972 people across Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts will benefit directly.
Udhampur has consistently ranked among the country's top three districts for PMGSY road projects sanctioned.
The minister highlighted improved access to schools, healthcare, markets and workplaces for women in remote villages as a key outcome.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday, 29 August laid the foundation stone of 110 road projects under PMGSY-IV, Batch-I of 2026-27, covering the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda-Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir. The projects span 598.455 km at a sanctioned cost of ₹1,503.53 crore and are expected to directly benefit 46,972 people across five districts.
Scale and Coverage of the Projects
The 110 road projects are spread across Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar districts. Together, they form one of the largest single-batch rural road interventions in the region under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The scheme targets all-weather connectivity to villages and habitations that have historically been difficult to access due to hilly terrain.
What the Minister Said
Speaking at the foundation-stone ceremony, Dr. Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for according the highest priority to the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Parliamentary constituency over the last 12 years, which he said has resulted in sustained road expansion across some of the most remote hilly areas of the region. He noted that Udhampur has consistently ranked among the country's top three districts in terms of PMGSY road projects sanctioned.
'The road network being created under PMGSY is directly contributing to ease of living and ease of travel, while opening up new opportunities for people living in the remotest parts of the constituency,' Dr. Singh said.
Impact on Women and Families
The minister highlighted that women in remote villages stand to gain significantly from the improved road network. Better roads, he said, provide easier access to schools, healthcare facilities, markets, and workplaces. The expansion into previously inaccessible villages is creating what officials describe as a new mobility network for families living in difficult hilly terrain, with direct benefits for everyday life.
Broader Significance of PMGSY
The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, launched in 2000, has been a flagship rural connectivity programme aimed at linking unconnected habitations with all-weather roads. PMGSY-IV represents the latest phase, with a focus on the most remote and geographically challenging areas. This comes amid a wider push by the Centre to improve last-mile infrastructure in border and hill districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
With guidelines already in place and foundation stones laid, work on the 598.455 km network is expected to proceed in the coming months, with completion timelines to be set at the district level.
Point of View
503.53 crore batch is significant in scale, but the real measure will be execution speed in terrain where construction timelines routinely slip. Udhampur's top-three ranking on PMGSY sanctions is a genuine metric — but sanctions and completed, motorable roads are different things in J&K's hilly districts. The emphasis on women's mobility is a welcome framing, yet it would carry more weight with specific targets: how many schools, primary health centres, or markets will be newly reachable, and by when. PMGSY-IV's value will ultimately be judged not at the foundation-stone stage but at the ribbon-cutting one.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PMGSY-IV and what was announced on 29 August 2026?
PMGSY-IV is the latest phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, India's flagship rural road connectivity programme. On 29 August 2026, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of 110 road projects under PMGSY-IV, Batch-I of 2026-27, covering 598.455 km at a sanctioned cost of ₹1,503.53 crore in the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda-Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir.
How many people will benefit from these road projects?
An estimated 46,972 people across five districts — Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar — are expected to benefit directly from the 110 road projects. The roads aim to provide all-weather connectivity to villages and habitations in difficult hilly terrain.
Why does Udhampur rank among India's top districts for PMGSY?
According to Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, Udhampur has consistently figured among the country's top three districts in PMGSY road projects sanctioned, reflecting sustained government priority given to rural connectivity in the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Parliamentary constituency over the last 12 years.
How will the new roads benefit women in remote villages?
The minister stated that better roads will give women in remote villages easier access to schools, healthcare facilities, markets, and workplaces. The expanded road network is described as creating a new mobility network for women and families living in hilly terrain, improving their everyday quality of life.
What is the total length and cost of the PMGSY-IV projects in this batch?
The 110 road projects in PMGSY-IV, Batch-I of 2026-27 together cover 598.455 km with a sanctioned cost of ₹1,503.53 crore, spread across Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
