Work on 14.5 km-long Zojila tunnel in full swing

Ganderbal: Work on 14.5 km long Zojila tunnel is going in full swing and is expected to be completed before the set deadline.
The project was approved by the government of India in January 2018 and the commencement of its construction was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in May 2018.
Zojila Tunnel project will make the travel on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh Section of NH-1 free from avalanches, would enhance safety and would reduce the travel time from more than 3 hours to 15 minutes.
Work on the Zojila tunnel simultaneously started from both Minimarg and Baltal sides and within the stipulated time till now the excavation work of this Tunnel crossed around 3.3 Km.
Once completed, the Zojila tunnel will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel, which is part of a mega road communication project to ensure undisrupted connectivity between the two UTs.
The tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity between Ladakh and Kashmir, which is otherwise hampered during winters as the Zojila pass is covered in snow and avalanches.
Talking to Rising Kashmir, Project Manager, Mega Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) Harpal Singh said final connection work has begun. In addition, we are constructing four Bridges connecting to the tunnels, and 70% of work is almost completed.
He said that around 2500 workers are working on the project.
He added that there are two parts of the Zojila Tunnel project one from Sonamarg to Baltal which will be completed by November 2023 and Main Zojila tunnel it is expected that the tunnel will be completed before the deadline.
He said 74% of locals From Jammu and Kashmir UT have been put to work as a labourers.