SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari following the historic breakthrough of the Zojila Tunnel. Sinha joined Gadkari at the landmark occasion, highlighting that the project marks the beginning of a new era of connectivity and development for both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
As Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel, the structure is set to transform the region by ensuring year-round connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. The engineering marvel is expected to drastically cut down travel times, ensure safer transit conditions through the treacherous pass, and deliver substantial savings on fuel.
Under the current administration, the infrastructure project is being positioned as a vital lifeline for the region. Beyond improving daily travel, the tunnel is designed to strengthen local supply chains, provide a major boost to regional tourism, and offer critical strategic support to the Indian Armed Forces operating in the border areas.
The entire Zojila Tunnel Project spans a total of 30.18 kilometers, which includes the main 13.153-kilometer tunnel alongside 17.030 kilometers of approach roads. Constructed at a total cost of 6,809.69 crore rupees, the single-tube, two-lane tunnel stands 7.57 meters high beneath the Zojila Pass, directly linking Ganderbal in Kashmir with Drass in Ladakh.
The engineering team utilized the advanced New Austrian Tunneling Method to construct the passageway. To ensure safety and efficiency, the completed structure comes equipped with modern ventilation facilities, an uninterrupted power supply, radio communication, comprehensive CCTV surveillance, and a high-tech smart tunnel supervisory control and data acquisition system.
