Zojila tunnel breakthrough: The project that could change travel to Ladakh forever

The Zojila tunnel project linking the Kashmir Valley with Ladakh moved a step closer to completion on Tuesday after a blast broke through the final 2.5 metres of the high-altitude tunnel passing through the Himalayas. With this, the two ends of what officials described as the world’s longest single-tube bi-directional bypass have been connected.

The milestone, achieved near the East Portal at Minimarg in Ladakh, brings the decades-old plan for all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh closer to reality. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari pressed a remote button to trigger the breakthrough blast, while Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were also present.

What is the Zojila tunnel?

The Zojila tunnel is a high-altitude road tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway that runs from Baltal in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir to Minimarg in the Drass district of Ladakh. The project also includes an 18-km approach road, and the full stretch from Sonmarg to Minimarg is 31 km long, including roads and bridges. Once operational, it is expected to provide year-round, all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh.

When will the tunnel open to the public?

Officials of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited said the breakthrough came six months ahead of schedule. They said about 85 per cent of the work has been completed and the tunnel is likely to open to the public in February 2028 after the remaining civil and electrical work is completed.

The remaining civil work is expected to take another seven to eight months after the breakthrough, after which electrical work will begin. Once opened, travel time is expected to fall from nearly three-and-a-half hours to just 20 minutes. 

Who was present for the breakthrough?

Gadkari triggered the blast remotely near the East Portal of the tunnel at Minimarg in Ladakh. Sinha and Abdullah were also present. NHIDCL officials said the breakthrough was achieved six months ahead of schedule. Authority Engineer for the project, Yousef Es’haghpour Rahimabadi, told PTI that about 85 per cent of the total work has been completed.

What are the key features of the tunnel?

The tunnel is 13.153 km long, 9.5 metres wide and 7.57 metres high. It is a horseshoe-shaped single-tube, two-lane road tunnel being built at an altitude of around 11,578 feet above sea level. Officials have described it as the world’s longest single-tube bi-directional bypass.

The project is aimed at improving movement through the Zojila Pass, which is usually shut for traffic for three winter months because of heavy snowfall. Once the tunnel opens, travel time on the route is expected to come down from 1 to 1.5 hours to about 15 minutes.

Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited, the agency executing the project, used the New Austrian Tunnelling Method to cut through the Himalayas and navigate the fragile geology. Apart from the main tunnel, the overall project includes the 18-km approach road and bridges on the 31-km stretch from Sonmarg to Minimarg.

Why is the tunnel important?

Officials said the geostrategically important tunnel will improve civilian and military mobility and provide all-weather connectivity to Ladakh. The breakthrough has brought the project closer to completion, with officials saying it is ahead of schedule and likely to open in February 2028.