SRINAGAR: Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari will initiate the first blasting for Zojila Tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Gadkari to initiate blasting process for Zojila tunnel construction work tomorrow

An official statement said that the tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar valley and Leh (Ladakh plateau) and will bring about an all-round economic and socio-cultural integration of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The statement said that it involves the construction of a 14.15 Km long tunnel at an altitude of about 3000 m under Zojila pass (presently motorable only for 6 months in a year) on NH-1 connecting Srinagar and Leh through Dras& Kargil. It is one of the most dangerous stretches in the world to drive a vehicle & this project is also geo-strategically sensitive.

“The project was first conceived in 2005 and its Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared by BRO in year 2013 on BOT (Annuity) mode,” said the statement, adding that attempts to award the project four times weren’t successful.

“The Project was eventually given to NHIDCL in July 2016 for implementation on EPC mode. Its work was awarded to M/s. ITNL (IL&FS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone at Leh and commenced the work on 19.5.2018. The work progressed up to July 2019, and thereafter M/s. IL&FS went into financial problems and the project was stuck. Hence, the contract was terminated on 15.01.2019,” said the statement.

“Thereafter, in February 2020, Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways, reviewed this whole project in detail. In order to reduce the cost and to execute the languishing project on priority, referred the matter to an expert group under the Chairmanship of I.K Pandey, DG (RD) & SS, MoRTH. The Expert group suggested modalities of project configuration and implementation, to achieve project completion in the least possible time and cost,” it said.

“After due consultation with tunnel experts and other stakeholders, the expert group submitted its report on 17.5.2020, which was approved by the Minister, RTH on 23.05.2020,” it added.

“Consequent to approval, NHIDCL invited the bids on 10.6.2020. Consequent upon Technical qualification of all three bidders, financial bids were opened on 21.8.2020 and M/s. Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited was awarded the work for its quoted rate of Rs 4509.50 crore, and the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) was issued on 25.08.2020,” said the statement.

“The capital cost of approach road from Zojila Tunnel to Z-Morh tunnel (18.63 Km) to make the road all-weather was worked out to be Rs.2335 Crores as per the DPR. The construction cost of the Zojila tunnel was earlier worked out at Rs. 6575.85 Crore and after considering the escalation @ 5% per annum and the total capital cost of the project as Rs.8308 Crore by NHIDCL. Thus the total integrated cost of the project including Zojila tunnel and approaches upto Z- Morh tunnel works out to Rs.10643 Crores. Now comparing to the present cost of the integrated project, based on the tender received at Rs. 4509.5 Crore, the total capital cost of the project would be Rs. 6808.63 crore. Thus, after re-modelling of the project and reaping the benefit of integrated project management by segregating the egress tunnel & utilizing the excavated rock material in the construction of approaches, generated from tunnel boring, resulted in an anticipated saving of Rs. 3835 crore besides resolving the issue of muck disposal to a great extent,” said an official statement.

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