New Delhi/Srinagar, June 10: The strategically important Zojila Tunnel project achieved a major milestone on Tuesday with the successful final breakthrough of the tunnel, marking a significant step towards establishing all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari virtually inaugurated the breakthrough by pressing a remote button that triggered the final blast at the breakthrough site near the eastern portal of the tunnel at Minimarg in Ladakh.
The achievement is being hailed as a landmark feat in India’s infrastructure development journey. Once completed, the Zojila Tunnel will ensure year-round road connectivity between Srinagar and Leh, overcoming the challenges posed by heavy snowfall and harsh weather conditions that often cut off Ladakh from the rest of the country during winter.
Officials said the tunnel will significantly reduce travel time, improve road safety, strengthen defence logistics, and boost tourism, trade, and economic development in the region. The project is also expected to enhance access to essential services, including healthcare and education, for residents of remote areas.
Describing the breakthrough as a historic moment, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the achievement brings the decades-old dream of seamless, all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh closer to reality. The tunnel is regarded as one of India’s most ambitious and strategically significant infrastructure projects in the Himalayan region.
The successful breakthrough reflects the engineering expertise and determination of the workforce that executed the project under challenging geographical and climatic conditions, paving the way for a new era of connectivity and development in the region.
