SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said the strategically significant Zojila Tunnel project would provide all-weather road connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while giving a major boost to tourism, economic activity and national security in the border region.
Addressing a gathering at the Zojila Eastern Portal following the final structural breakthrough of the tunnel, Sinha congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and commended the engineers, scientists and workers involved in the project for their efforts under challenging weather conditions.
He said the tunnel would end the long-standing winter isolation of Ladakh by ensuring uninterrupted connectivity throughout the year. The Zojila Pass, located at an altitude of over 11,500 feet on the Srinagar-Leh highway, remains closed for nearly five months annually due to heavy snowfall.
Sinha also thanked Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and his ministry for advancing major infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He said improvements in road, rail and air connectivity over the past decade had transformed regions that had historically faced developmental challenges.
The Lieutenant Governor said the tunnel would strengthen national security by facilitating year-round movement of armed forces and essential supplies in the strategically sensitive border area. He expressed confidence that the project would be completed soon and dedicated to the people who had long awaited dependable connectivity.
Referring to the annual Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to commence on 3 July, Sinha said the enhanced connectivity would also benefit thousands of pilgrims travelling to the shrine.
The 13.153-kilometre tunnel is being constructed beneath the Zojila Pass on National Highway-1 by Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. Designed as the world’s longest single-tube, bi-directional road tunnel at such a high altitude, it is located at approximately 11,578 feet above sea level.
The project will bypass the avalanche-prone Zojila Pass, ensuring reliable all-weather access between Kashmir and Ladakh. The final excavation breakthrough achieved on Tuesday marks a major milestone in the tunnel’s construction.
Once operational, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time across the sector from more than three hours to around 15 minutes, while improving supply chains, promoting tourism, strengthening regional connectivity and enhancing logistical support for the Indian Armed Forces.
