Why Asia’s Longest Tunnel Through Zoji La Could Be A Game Changer For J&K’s Economy

It takes over three hours to traverse the 62 km from Sonmarg in Jammu and Kashmir to Drass town in the Union territory of Ladakh. Two years from now, the journey is expected to take just 15 minutes. The Zoji La tunnel, now being bored through the solid Himalayan rock, will ensure year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Leh. During winters, heavy snowfall cuts off connectivity for as many as six months of the year.
The 14.5-km-long tunnel will be Asia’s largest bi-directional tunnel when it is completed. It will eclipse the record held by the 10.89-km-long Chenani-Nashri tunnel, also in J&K. The tunnel bores a semi-circular path into a mountain, 9.5 m wide and 7.57 m high. The western end of the tunnel is at Baltal and the eastern portal is at Minamarg.