Construction of Zoji La tunnel begins

Construction of the Zoji La tunnel in the state of Jammu & Kashmir has begun. Once complete, it will be amongst Asia's longest bi-directional tunnels and is expected to provide all-weather connectivity between the towns of Kargil and Leh in the north and the rest of India.

Zoji La is located on the Srinagar-Leh highway at an elevation of 11,575 ft. The mountain pass is closed during winters, cutting off access to the towns of Dras, Kargil and Leh. The tunnel will be 14.15 km long and get 2 lanes. It will bypass the mountainous section and is expected to cut down travel time from 3.5 hours to just 15 minutes. A 14.2 km long access tunnel will also be built parallel to the main tunnel.

The new tunnel is expected to get a fully transverse ventilation system, uninterrupted power supply (UPS), tunnel emergency lighting, CCTV, variable message signs (VMS), traffic logging equipment, over height vehicle detection and a tunnel radio system.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs. 6,809 crore and is expected to be completed within 5 years.

Source: Firstpost