The tunnel is being constructed between Baltal near Sonamarg and Meenamarg towards Drass and Kargil. A final 2.5 metres of rock inside the tunnel was blasted away with 300 kg of explosives on Tuesday, marking a major breakthrough.
For decades, heavy snowfall, avalanches and sub-zero temperatures forced the closure of the Zojila Pass for several months every year, cutting off Ladakh from the rest of the country.
Once operational, the tunnel will ensure uninterrupted connectivity on the strategic Srinagar-Kargil-Leh highway and reduce travel time across the pass from up to one-and-a-half hours to around 15-20 minutes.
Beyond its civilian significance, the project carries enormous strategic importance. Ladakh borders both China and Pakistan and remains one of India’s most sensitive frontier regions. Reliable year-round connectivity has assumed greater importance following military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and continued security challenges along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.
The tunnel is expected to significantly improve troop mobility, logistics support, movement of military equipment and operational preparedness in all seasons.
The Zojila Tunnel is set to become the world’s longest single-tube bi-directional road tunnel at the highest altitude, located at approximately 11,578 feet above sea level.The project is being executed by Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) for the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation
(NHIDCL) at the cost of Rs 6,808.69 crore.
The breakthrough was flagged off by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, alongside Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
“The Zojila Tunnel will be a lifeline for the people of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir. Despite harsh weather conditions, engineers and workers completed this remarkable feat. India’s technical excellence and engineering capabilities have been demonstrated through this project,” Gadkari said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the breakthrough the fulfilment of a long-awaited dream.
“Better connectivity, tourism and economic opportunities will transform the region,” he said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the project would become a symbol of development and integration for Ladakh.
“The dream of all-weather connectivity for Ladakh is becoming a reality. Connectivity plays a key role in development, and the Zojila Tunnel will significantly strengthen that,” he said.
MEIL officials said the project has achieved a major safety milestone of 10 million safe man-hours despite extremely challenging geological and climatic conditions.
The company employed the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), a specialised engineering technique suited for fragile Himalayan geology.
With excavation now complete, work will shift to tunnel lining, road surfacing, ventilation, lighting, electro-mechanical systems and safety infrastructure. Officials said civil construction is expected to continue for another seven to eight months, with the tunnel targeted for public opening in early 2028.
The breakthrough marks a defining moment not only in Himalayan infrastructure development but also in India’s efforts to strengthen economic integration, border connectivity and strategic resilience in one of its most critical frontier regions, officials added.
Work on the tunnel began in October 2020.
(The reporter was in Srinagar at the invitation of MEIL)