Sonamarg:
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari triggered the ceremonial blast at the tunnel site, located at an altitude of 11,578 feet, around 24 kilometres from Sonamarg. Excavation teams working from both ends connected the East Portal near Minimarg in Ladakh with the West Portal near Baltal in Jammu and Kashmir.
The ₹6,800-crore tunnel, being constructed beneath the challenging terrain of the Zojila Pass, will form a crucial part of the Srinagar–Leh National Highway. Heavy snowfall and avalanches currently force the closure of the pass for several months every year, cutting Ladakh off from the Kashmir Valley and disrupting the movement of people, goods and essential supplies.
Officials said the breakthrough was achieved six months ahead of schedule, with nearly 85 per cent of the overall work completed. Civil construction is expected to continue for another seven to eight months before electrical and mechanical installations begin. The tunnel is likely to be opened to the public by February 2028.
The horseshoe-shaped, single-tube tunnel is 13.153 kilometres long, 9.5 metres wide and 7.57 metres high. Once operational, it will reduce travel time through the Zojila sector from nearly one to one-and-a-half hours to around 15 minutes.
Gadkari described the project as a lifeline for Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, adding that nearly 80 per cent of the workforce was drawn from the local area.
Beyond improving civilian access, the tunnel holds immense strategic importance. It will facilitate the year-round movement of defence personnel, equipment and supplies to forward areas in Ladakh, strengthening India’s border infrastructure and operational preparedness.
The project is also expected to boost tourism, trade, emergency services and economic activity across Sonamarg, Drass, Kargil and Leh. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah attended the breakthrough ceremony.
The tunnel is being executed by Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method to tackle the fragile Himalayan geology and extreme weather conditions.