The Zojila Tunnel Project, which aims to provide an all-year, all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Leh, is set to be Asia’s longest tunnel. Recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari gave an update on the progress of the project.
Gadkari told the Lok Sabha that the project is over 50% complete.
The Zojila Tunnel Project includes the construction of a 13.153 km tunnel, along with 17.030 km of approach roads, resulting in a total length of 30.18 km, Gadkari added. He further said that total Project cost (TPC) of the Project is Rs. 6,809.69 crore. The project is scheduled for completion by September 29, 2026.
Lok Sabha MP Mian Altaf Ahmad had inquired about the details, current status, and total cost of the project. On the subject of the project was helping locals get employment, Gadkari replied that 1,043 locals have been employed by the supervising consultant, contractor and sub-contractor.
Zojila Tunnel Project
Once it has been completed, The Zojila tunnel will become India’s longest road tunnel and is expected to be Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel, with a length of 14.15 km.
Besides seamless connectivity, the tunnel also promises to significantly cut travel time between Kashmir and Ladakh. The current distance from Baltal to Minamarg, which is 40 km, will be shortened to 13 km, cutting travel time by an estimated hour and a half.
The terrain around Zojila Pass is notoriously challenging, with numerous fatal accidents occurring each year. Upon completion of the tunnel project, the likelihood of accidents is expected to decrease significantly.