Srinagar, June 9: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari arrived in Kashmir on Tuesday to witness the breakthrough of the strategically significant Zojila Tunnel, a landmark milestone in one of India’s most ambitious mountain infrastructure projects connecting Kashmir with Ladakh.
The breakthrough event marks the successful meeting of excavation works from opposite ends of the tunnel, bringing the project significantly closer to completion and all-weather operational connectivity.
The 13.15-kilometre Zojila Tunnel, being constructed by Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), is designed to provide year-round road access between Kashmir and Ladakh by bypassing the snow-bound Zojila Pass, which remains closed for several months every year due to heavy snowfall and extreme weather conditions.
The tunnel is expected to transform transportation across the region by ensuring uninterrupted connectivity, reducing travel time and enhancing the movement of civilians, tourists, essential supplies and security forces.
Gadkari’s visit is centered on the breakthrough ceremony, considered one of the most important construction milestones in tunnel engineering. The event signifies the completion of a critical excavation phase after years of drilling through the challenging Himalayan terrain.
The project is being viewed as a strategic game changer for Ladakh, which often faces winter isolation when the Srinagar-Leh highway closes due to snow accumulation at Zojila.
Once operational, the tunnel will improve accessibility to remote areas, boost tourism, facilitate trade and strengthen socio-economic integration between Kashmir and Ladakh.
The breakthrough comes amid the Centre’s broader push to expand tunnel and highway infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including efforts aimed at providing reliable all-weather connectivity in mountainous regions.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha received the Union Minister upon his arrival in Srinagar before the latter proceeded for engagements linked to the tunnel project.
The project is expected to rank among the longest bi-directional road tunnels in Asia upon completion. [KNT]
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