Bridge over Chenab

Romance and Bridge at Ramban A direct track link between Jammu and Kashmir during 1840s was virtually non-existent. Jammu had a well-defined path till Udhampur but beyond Udhampur, travellers had to fend for themselves, making use of twisted paths connecting villages along the general direction. The main route, therefore, was the one following the alignment of Mughal Route through Rajouri-Poonch. After 1846 Treaty and purchase of the State, Maharaja Gulab Singh decided to develop Udhampur-Ramban-Banihal route to travel to Kashmir. It took many years- in fact many decades- and all of period of reign of Maharaja Gulab Singh and Maharaja Ranbir Singh, for a cart track to come up and that too with gaps at many places. Finally, around 1907, the cart track was completely marked and aligned and the finishing work started in the earnest. The royals started using it but commoners were not allowed for next 15-odd years. That track came to be known as Banihal   Cart Road or BC Road (Ja...