Srinagar, April 21 -- Between the mountain towns of Banihal and Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir, the land is breaking apart. Boulders fall without warning. Slopes collapse. The National Highway-44, a lifeline that connects Jammu to Srinagar, is being expanded. But the cost of this four-lane upgrade is being paid by the mountains themselves.

This stretch of road lies in one of the most geologically fragile regions of the Himalayas. These are young mountains, still forming, still shifting. The slopes here are steep and made of loose rocks, clay, and shale. When disturbed, they do not hold. Cutting into them for road expansion upsets their natural balance and makes landslides more likely.

Climate change is adding fuel to the fire. The region i...