Zojila Tunnel Breakthrough: Tunnel Brings End to Longstanding Connectivity Issues

The two ends of the 13.153-kilometer Zojila Tunnel were successfully joined on June 9, marking a significant milestone for the project. The breakthrough celebration was attended by Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha of Jammu & Kashmir accompanied the minister at the function.

Zojila Tunnel has become world’s longest single-tube, bi-directional road tunnel at the highest altitude and achieved a major milestone with benefits included shorter travel time, all weather connectivity and even more accessibility to people during snowfall season.

Seamless journey for travellers

This project is considered as the most difficult mountain corridor of all. Every year heavy snowfall, avalanche and bad weather caused disruption in connectivity across the region.

However, after completion, the Zojila tunnel is expected to provide connectivity all over the year between Srinagar and Ladakh.

According to reports, approximately 85% of the overall project work has been completed, and the tunnel remains on track for operational commissioning by February 2028.

About Zojila Tunnel

This project was being executed by a Hyderabad-based engineering company, MEIL. Along with the Z-Morh Tunnel, the new tunnel will provide year-round connectivity to Ladakh and Baltal, reduce travel time to 15 minutes, boost tourism and economic activity, and improve military logistics in the region. 

The Zoji-La Tunnel is one of India’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, aimed at ensuring all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Leh. 

First approved by the Union Cabinet in 2013 along with the Z-Morh Tunnel, the project was initially awarded in 2017 to IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd with a seven-year completion timeline. 

The foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2018, marking the official start of construction. 

However, after IL&FS faced financial difficulties and went bankrupt in 2019, the project was re-tendered and later awarded in 2020 to Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), which resumed work to push the project forward.