Barriers to Winter Road Maintenance Policy Implementation and Coping Strategies Adopted by the Street-Level Bureaucrats: Evidence from Kashmir, India

Winter road maintenance (WRM) is integral to economic continuity, freight logistics, environmental safety, and public well-being. The policy for WRM is laid down by the government in the form of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other guiding documents. This study employs qualitative analysis of data collected through in-depth interviews with snow clearance operators and managers at a snow control station in Tangmarg and Gulmarg, Kashmir. Through purposive sampling, the study revealed a host of factors (technological and human resource inadequacy, the non-availability of legal instruments and deterrents, and political nudges) responsible for increasing stress among snow clearance operators during the policy implementation phase causing deviations from SOPs and action plans. Street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) were left to use their discretion. The results emphasize the importance of discretion, formal training, and political insulation to improve policy implementation. While the study highlights a perceived lack of enforceable legal instruments, this observation pertains more to the operational absence of specific and actionable deterrents than to any lack of legal provisions. The issue lies in the ineffective recognition and enforcement of existing laws. This reinforces the need for clearer alignment between road safety legislation and field-level enforcement. Furthermore, the study highlights the necessity of multilevel cooperation between governors, leaders, and frontline staff to reduce stress. Thematic analysis guided by street-level bureaucracy theory is used to detail coping mechanisms imposed by SLBs to ameliorate tough working conditions. Expanding the coping strategies employed by SLBs could enhance organizational resilience and performance.