The Government of India has allocated Rs. 81 crore for the maintenance of national highways in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh under the Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC) and Performance-Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) schemes for the financial year 2024-25. Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that as per the data released by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Jammu & Kashmir has been allocated Rs. 34 crore for STMC works covering 96 km of national highways, while PBMC works will cover 28 km for Rs. 37 crore. Similarly, Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned for the maintenance of 6 km of national highways under the STMC scheme in Ladakh, with no PBMC projects approved this year. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has implemented stringent monitoring measures, including app-based tracking through NHAI One and Tatpar Apps, allowing real-time digital reporting of road defects, geo-tagged inspections, and digital test result uploads. The Ministry said that contractors and concessionaires are responsible for road maintenance during the defect liability period (DLP). Non-compliance will result in penalties, extended DLP periods, and blacklisting.