Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari on April 10, 2023, inspected the Zojila Tunnel, Asia’s longest tunnel to establish all-weather connectivity for Ladakh and an important project implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.
A total of 19 tunnels are being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore. Under this, the construction of 13.14-km tunnel and approach road at a cost of Rs 6,800 crore is in progress in Zojila. It is a 7.57-m high horseshoe-shaped single-tube, 2-lane tunnel, which will go through under the Zojila pass in the Himalayas between Ganderbal in Kashmir and Drass town in Kargil. The project includes a smart tunnel (SCADA) system, which has been constructed using the new Austrian tunneling method. It is equipped with facilities like CCTV, radio control, uninterrupted power supply, ventilation. The use of modern technology in this project has saved the Government of India more than Rs 5,000 crore.
Under the Zojila Tunnel project, the main Zojila tunnel of 13,153 mt with 4 culverts of total length of 810 mt, 4 Nilgrar tunnels of total length of 4,821 mt, 8 cut and covers of total length of 2,350 mt and three 500 mt, 391 mt and 220 mt of vertical ventilation shaft are proposed. So far, 28% of the work has been completed.
With the construction of this tunnel, there will be all-weather connectivity for Ladakh. Currently, the average travel time to cross the pass may take up to 3 hours, which will come down to 20 minutes after the completion of this tunnel.
The terrain near the pass is extremely inhospitable, with many fatal accidents taking place here every year. This tunnel will provide year-round connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh, which will be important for the development of Ladakh, promotion of tourism, free movement of local goods and movement of Indian armed forces in case of emergency.
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