Union Minister for Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday reviewed the progress of work on the strategically important Zojila tunnel in Kashmir’s Sonamarg that will provide all-weather connectivity to Ladakh.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and members of Parliament of Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Road Transport and Highways accompanied Gadkari to Sonamarg.
The construction of the 13.14 km long Zojila tunnel, Asia’s longest to establish all-weather connectivity to the cold desert Ladakh region, is coming up at a cost of Rs 6800 crore. The construction of the tunnel is expected to be completed by 2026.
It is a 7.57 m high horseshoe-shaped single-tube, two-lane tunnel, which will pass under the Zojila Pass in the Himalayas between Ganderbal in Kashmir and Drass town in Kargil district of Ladakh.
Currently, the average travel time to cross the Zojila Pass sometimes takes three hours, but after the completion of the project, the travel time will come down to 20 minutes. The terrain near Zojila Pass is extremely inhospitable, with many fatal accidents taking place here every year.
Following inspection of the construction of the tunnel Gadkari said, tourism will increase by 2-3 times and employment opportunities will also grow in Jammu and Kashmir after the completion of the project.
The closure of the Srinagar-Ladakh highway during winter badly impacts the lives of both the civilian population and the army in the Union Territory. Once completed, the Zojila tunnel will be a game-changer for the region that has been witnessing a protracted standoff between the army and the Chinese military since June 2020.
Notably, 19 tunnels are being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 25000 crore.