SONAMARG: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday attended the breakthrough ceremony of the Zojila Tunnel project, marking the symbolic excavation of the final rock wall in what is set to become the world’s longest bi-directional road tunnel.
The Union Minister was accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during the event.
During the visit, Gadkari was briefed by project officials on the progress of the 13.15-kilometre-long Zojila Tunnel, a strategically significant infrastructure project aimed at ensuring all-weather connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Addressing the occasion, geotechnical expert Janak Singh Rathore congratulated the engineers and workers involved in the project, describing the tunnel as the world’s highest and Asia’s longest bi-directional road tunnel. He said the achievement reflects India’s growing capability in executing complex infrastructure projects in challenging Himalayan terrain.
Rathore informed that nearly 50 per cent of the work on the project has been completed, while the remaining construction is progressing at a steady pace. He added that the tunnel is expected to be commissioned by 2028.
The Zojila Tunnel, stretching 13.153 kilometres, is being constructed between Baltal in Sonamarg and Meenamarg near Drass and Kargil. Once completed, it will provide seamless year-round connectivity across the Zojila Pass, which remains closed for several months every year due to heavy snowfall, avalanches and harsh weather conditions.
Situated at an altitude of approximately 11,578 feet above sea level, the tunnel is being built at an estimated cost of ₹6,500 crore and is regarded as one of India’s most ambitious road infrastructure projects.
According to project developer Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), the tunnel represents a major engineering milestone and will significantly enhance connectivity, economic development, tourism, and strategic mobility in the region.
The breakthrough ceremony marks a crucial step towards completing the landmark project, which is expected to transform transportation across the Himalayan region and strengthen links between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
