Latest news with #ZojilaTunnelProject
Indian Express
31-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Zojila tunnel deadline pushed to 2028: Here's why Asia's longest tunnel project is delayed
Zojila Tunnel: Zojila tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir will provide an all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh. Strategically located at an altitude of 11,578 feet, the road project is being constructed in the challenging Himalayan terrain. On completion, the project will not only play an important role in the country's infrastructure development but also enhance civilian and military mobility in the region. This under-construction project is set to become India's longest road tunnel and Asia's longest bi-directional tunnel. Over 60 per cent work of Zojila tunnel has been completed. The project initially targeted to be completed by 2026 will take two more years for fully completion. While replying to a question raised by Lok Sabha MP Mian Altaf Ahmad, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in a written statement on July 31 said that the current physical progress stands at 64 per cent. Ahmad, the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference leader, also enquired about the expected completion date of the Zojila Tunnel project. He also requested details regarding the project's total estimated cost and the expenditure incurred so far. Responding to this, Gadkari said: 'Zojila Tunnel Project in Jammu & Kashmir commenced with an initial scheduled completion date of September 29, 2026. However, he stated that this ambitious project will be completed by 2028. 'The current physical progress stands at 64%, and the project is now targeted for completion by February 2028,' he said. Zojila tunnel is being constructed at a cost of Rs 6,809 crore, out of which an expenditure of Rs 3,934.42 crore has been incurred so far. The Zojila Tunnel project aims to make travel on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh section of NH-1 safer by eliminating the threat of avalanches. However, with the project's completion now pushed to 2028, it raises an important question: why has this crucial infrastructure project been delayed, and what are the reasons behind the setback? In a statement, Gadkari highlights several issues behind the delay including adverse weather conditions. 'The project has been delayed due to multiple factors, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a terrorist attack at the Sonamarg Tunnel Project, and extreme adverse weather conditions,' he said. Anish Mondal is a business journalist with over nine years of experience. He writes on diverse subjects such as Infrastructure, Railways, Roadways, Aviation, Politics, Market, Parliamentary affairs, Corporate earnings, General and International news etc. ... Read More
News18
31-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Sonmarg Terror Attack, Harsh Weather Push Zojila Tunnel Deadline To 2028
The Zojila Tunnel Project — set to be Asia's longest tunnel offering all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh — was initially scheduled for completion by September 2026. The terror attack on a camp of labourers engaged in building a tunnel at Gagangir near Sonmarg in October 2024 was among the reasons cited by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for pushing the deadline of the Zojila Tunnel to February 2028. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the Zojila Tunnel Project in Jammu & Kashmir — set to be Asia's longest tunnel offering all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh — was initially scheduled for completion by September 2026. 'The project has been delayed due to multiple factors, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a terrorist attack at the Sonamarg Tunnel Project, and extreme adverse weather conditions," he said. The current physical progress of the project stands at 64 per cent, the Minister said, adding the project is 'now targeted for completion by February 2028". In August 2024, the Ministry had informed the Lok Sabha that over 52 per cent work on the Zojila road project had been completed, with a deadline of September 2026. On October 20, 2024, militants attacked a worker camp for the Z‑Morh tunnel project at Gagangir. Six migrant workers and a camp doctor were killed in the attack. The Z‑Morh Tunnel was inaugurated in January 2025 and renamed the Sonamarg Tunnel. 'Of these, 77 per cent are from the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and 28 per cent of the overall workforce is from the Ganderbal District," he said. The project cost is estimated at Rs 6,809 crore, of which Rs 3,934.42 crore has been spent so far, Gadkari said. The tunnel coming up in Zojila is a 7.57 m high horseshoe-shaped single-tube, two-lane tunnel, which will pass under the Zojila Pass in the Himalayas between Ganderbal in Kashmir and Drass town in Kargil district of Ladakh. The project includes a Smart Tunnel (SCADA) system, which has been constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method. It is equipped with facilities like CCTV, radio control, uninterrupted power supply, and ventilation. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
