Work begins on Zojila tunnel in J&K
01 Nov 2020
Work on Zojila tunnel began on October 15, 2020, with a ceremonial blasting by Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The project involves the construction of a 14.15-km tunnel at an altitude of about 3,000 m under Zojila Pass (currently motorable for only six months a year) on NH-1 connecting Srinagar and Leh through Dras and Kargil. It is one of the most dangerous stretches in the world to drive a vehicle and thus, this project is also geo-strategically sensitive and important.
After several languishing attempts to guide the project to fruition, Gadkari reviewed the project in detail in February 2020, and referred the matter of reducing the cost and executing it on priority to an expert group under the chairmanship of I.K Pandey, DG (RD) & SS, MoRTH. The expert group suggested modalities of project configuration and implementation, to achieve completion in the least possible time and cost.
After due consultation with tunnel experts and other stakeholders, the expert group submitted its report on May 17, 2020, which was subsequently approved by MoRTH on May 23, 2020.
The project was finally awarded to MEIL, which emerged as the L1 bidder. The tunnel will incorporate various safety features, like a video surveillance system, automatic fire detection and suppression system in the tunnel, linear heat detection systems connected to the SCADA system through its control system, emergency telephone niches, a traffic control system with a central control room, etc.
The tunnel is of strategic social and economic significance to the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as it will provide all-weather connectivity between the Srinagar valley and Leh (Ladakh plateau) on NH-1. Making travel on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh section of NH-1 avalanche-free, it will enhance the safety of travellers crossing Zojila Pass and reduce travel time from more than three hours to 15 minutes.
Related Stories