Zojila, June 9: In a landmark moment for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday presided over the breakthrough ceremony of the 13.15-km Zojila Tunnel, describing it as a major engineering feat that will transform connectivity and accelerate development across the region.
Addressing the gathering, Gadkari said the tunnel, regarded as the longest bi-directional road tunnel in Asia at high altitude, was initially estimated to cost Rs 12,000 crore, but engineering innovations helped reduce the cost to around Rs 7,000 crore. He said the project is expected to be completed by February-March 2028.
The Union Minister credited Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and officials associated with the project for their efforts, saying their hard work had made the breakthrough possible.
Gadkari also announced that work on the 48-km Leh South Bypass will begin soon, while a Rs 200-crore Srinagar-Manali North Bypass project has also been taken up. He said the DPR for the strategically important Khardung La tunnel is in its final stage and added that road projects worth nearly Rs 2 lakh crore are currently underway in Jammu & Kashmir.
Congratulating the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the tunnel would bring immense relief to patients, travellers and residents and would usher in a new era of development and prosperity. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also thanked the Union Minister and project authorities for making the dream of all-weather connectivity a reality.
Constructed at an altitude of around 11,500 feet, the tunnel will provide year-round connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, reducing travel time and ensuring smoother civilian movement, tourism and strategic logistics. The breakthrough marks a major milestone in what is considered one of the most challenging infrastructure projects undertaken in the Himalayas.
