Srinagar, Aug 8: In a significant development, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced on Thursday that the Zojila Tunnel project has reached a 52.13% completion milestone.
Addressing a question from National Conference’s Member of Parliament Mian Altaf Ahmad, Gadkari revealed that the Zojila Tunnel Project consists of the construction of a 13.153 km tunnel and 17.030 km of approach roads, totaling a length of 30.18 km. The total project cost is estimated at Rs. 6,809.69 crore.
The Zojila Tunnel is considered one of the most complicated tunnel constructions globally, as it is being built at an altitude of 11,578 ft above sea level. The project faces challenges such as heavy snowfall for eight months, complex rocky terrains, and treacherous streamlets along the alignment.
Once completed, the tunnel will feature automatic and emergency lighting, emergency phones, message signaling, and radio systems to enhance the safety of travelers. Vehicles will be able to traverse the tunnel at a speed of up to 80 km/h.
The project is expected to have a transformative impact on the region’s trade network and economic development, as it will provide year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh, cutting the travel time from 3.5 hours to just 45 minutes.
The construction work also involves the creation of portals, shafts, bridges, control buildings, ventilation buildings, and muck disposal facilities at the base camp of the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. In addition to the main Zojila Tunnel, the project includes the construction of a 2,350-meter-long cut-and-cover tunnel, three conventional shafts, and two transverse ventilation system shafts.
The tunnel will also feature a unique transport ventilation system with three vertical shafts, retaining walls, brick walls, gabion constructions, and mud walls for a distance of 10 km, as well as catch dams, air blasts, protection walls, and deflator dams for a distance of 6 km to protect against snowstorms.
Minister Gadkari’s announcement of the 52.13% project completion milestone showcases the government’s commitment to delivering this critical infrastructure project, which will undoubtedly have far-reaching benefits for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
