Damaged road near Lamayuru - Leh to Srinagar road - Ladakh (India)

This section of paved road, which seemed to be quite new and in pretty good conditions, was completely destroyed in several places, as if the asphalt had been broken with a jack-hammer, as shown on this photo. This was not typical at all of eroding roads (with potholes). Instead it looked like someone broke the road on purpose. Pretty strange. It may be due to poor / inferior road construction quality and the winter frost. It looks like the ground under the asphalt is soft gravel, rather than hard-packed ballast.

See general view of the road damage.