The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has suspended work on excavation of an 800-metre-long tunnel along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district following the appearance of cracks. Work on the tunnel at Mehar began nearly one-and-a-half years ago simultaneously at two portals (P1 and P2). Nearly 400 metres of the tunnel have been excavated so far. Work on P2 on the Ramban side was suspended since June last when a portion of it collapsed following an earthquake. This is not the first time that the under-construction tunnels in mountains along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway have developed cracks. In May last year, a portion of an under-construction tunnel near Khooni nallah in Ramban district had collapsed, killing 10 workers. The four-lane road widening project of the 270-km NH44, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was started in 2011. After having missed several deadlines, the project may be completed by next year.