New Delhi/Sonamarg: Asia's longest tunnel project, worth Rs 6,500 crore at Zojila, which will ensure all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh, is
set to achieve a breakthrough on Tuesday with the completion of over 13 kms of excavation work.
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The 13.15-km tunnel is being built by Hyderabad-based infrastructure major Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) at an altitude of 11,578 feet above sea level, around 24 km from Sonamarg and 103 km from Srinagar.
Once completed, the bi-directional tunnel will ensure all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh, significantly improving access to Drass, Kargil and Leh, while enhancing civilian mobility, logistics and regional connectivity in this strategically important area.
In tunnelling, a breakthrough refers to the moment when teams involved in excavation work from both sides meet at a given point.
Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will attend the breakthrough ceremony on Tuesday, the minister's office said.
"The Zojila Tunnel is one of India's most challenging infrastructure projects taking shape in the heights of the Himalayas. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Indian engineers have turned the challenges into an opportunity. The project is set to achieve a historic milestone with the significant breakthrough blasting of the main tunnel on June 9, 2026," the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways said.
The tunnel is also expected to boost economic activity, tourism and regional development. Besides, it will address transportation challenges through the Zojila Pass, which remains closed for several months every year due to heavy snowfall, avalanches and extreme weather conditions.
MEIL won the project from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) and began constructing the tunnel in October 2020.
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In a statement issued here, the company said, "It is constructing the tunnel using the advanced New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), which is regarded as one of India's most significant engineering achievements in mountain infrastructure."
More than 1,200 personnel have worked on the project, including nearly 80 percent of the local workforce.
Over the last five years, the site has witnessed five avalanche incidents, including a severe one in January 2023 when 172 workers stranded in the area were rescued by the Indian Army. Despite these challenges, the project has achieved 10 million safe man-hours, MEIL said.
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