With the two ends of Zojila tunnel finally connected following the breakthrough blast on Tuesday, India successfully completed excavation of its highest and longest single tube bi directional road tunnel at a height of 11,578 feet.

“Today is the golden day for India’s infrastructure development. Around 14 km in length, the tunnel is state of the art. This is not only Asia’s longest but also at number one place across the world, as I have been told,” Gadkari said.

Gadkari arrived in Zojila for the breakthrough ceremony and to review the construction of the tunnel along with J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha. Representatives from Ladakh, including its MP Haji Haneefa were present during the occasion.

The tunnel, excavated in one of the world’s challenging geographical regions, is expected to transform regional connectivity between the union territories of J&K and Ladakh and strengthen strategical dominance of security forces in the border region. “I am also happy that this is not just a tunnel but a lifeline and this has helped us prove the thinking of the engineering capability of a new India. This is an excellent example of technical excellence,” Gadkari said.

“When I came to Ladakh as BJP chief, people made me aware of the situation. I was told that there is no connectivity for six months. When I became minister, I felt this was necessary,” he said.

Located between Baltal (Sonamarg) in central Kashmir and Meenamarg (Drass) in Ladakh, the 13.15 km tunnel project is being executed to provide all-weather connectivity across one of India’s most challenging Himalayan corridors, which remains cut off for around six months every year due to heavy snowfall, avalanches, and extreme weather conditions. Even when open, commuters face the constant threat of shooting stones and sudden avalanches. The new tunnel will entirely bypass these treacherous stretches, including Zero Point and Dayal Slide. Once operational, the travel time between Sonamarg and Meenamarg will reduce to 30-45 minutes from current 1.5 to 2 hours.

Being constructed at a cost of ₹6,800 crore, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure limited is the executing agency of the project for the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).

“This is a lifeline for Ladakh and J&K. I congratulate the people. The height here is about 3,000 m and the workers , engineers and officials worked in very difficult circumstances. I am happy the workers include 80% locals,” the Union minister said.

Positioned at an elevation of about 11,578 feet above sea level, the tunnel represents one of the most significant engineering achievements in India’s mountain infrastructure sector.

The project began on 1 October, 2020, and the first blasting at the Nilgrar Tunnel was performed on October 14, 2020. Part one of the project was completed on March 15, 2025, covering approach roads, bridges, Nilgrar twin tunnels, cut-and-cover works, and snow gallery components. The total project length, including tunnel roads and bridges is 30.894 km.

“In 2014, when Modi government came into power, I got the chance to start this project. Its tenders had been issued four times and there was no decision. Fifth time its estimate came as ₹12,000 crore. I am happy that the project will be completed within ₹7,000 crore,” Gadkari said.

After the breakthrough,the full project is expected to be commissioned with next two and a half years. Once fully operational, the project will ensure 365-day connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh.

“There is a deadline but I have requested for pacing up of work. There are difficulties but I have removed the date commitment and given a new date. We will try to complete this project till that time,” he said without specifying the time.

Development is expected to be a turning point for the connectivity and economic strength of the UT.

J&K CM said that the tunnel when completed will make a huge impact on the lives of people of Ladakh. “I want to congratulate people of Ladakh on this occasion and thank Nitin Gadkari and his team for reaching a stage where Kashmir and Ladakh will be connected for all year long. This was a dream of people of Ladakh for long and till now no body was able to fulfil it,” he said.

J&K LG said that the development will not only transform the lives of people but will give a boost to the security scenario of the country. “Indeed this is a historic day. The way these works are going on in Ladakh and J&K, there will be improvement in trade and tourism. National security, an important aspect of the country especially its border areas, will get a boost with this,” he said.

The main tunnel begins at the West Portal at Baltal and ends at the East Portal at Meenamarg, with tunnelling carried out from both ends.

A team of over 1,200 personnel is working on the project with 80% of them local residents with many specialists converged from across the country.

MEIL said that the Zojila Tunnel is being constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), a method particularly suited to fragile Himalayan geology and variable rock conditions. NATM relies on sequential excavation, immediate support measures such as shotcrete and rock bolting, and continuous geotechnical monitoring, allowing engineers to respond flexibly to changing ground conditions during tunnelling. In addition to the main tunnel, the project scope includes connecting highway works, bridges, protective structures, cut-and-cover sections, snow protection components, and the Nilgrar twin tunnels, making it a comprehensive corridor development.

Yousef Eshaghpour, authority engineer of Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats Private Limited, which is a consultant agency for NHIDCL for the project, said it faced many challenges. “This is an iconic tunnel and national pride. This is the longest road bi-directional tunnel not only in India but across Asia. Engineers had lots of challenges during the construction,” said Eshahpour, an Iranian with 29 years of experience in tunnels in Middle East and Asia.

“Himalyan mountain range is very young with 700 million years of age. Its rocks are not condensed enough to that level. Major problem here was water, a lot of water and also integrated rock conditions. Overall very bad geological conditions,” he said. “In winter, the road remains closed for atleast 4.5 months. Procurement of materials and other things was a major issue.”

“At Zojila, we have passed over 11.25 million man hours time without any casualties. The age of the tunnel is being designed to last 100 years. Usually it may tale 2-2.5 years for work on ventilation, drainage and road pavement,” he said.

The project follows the success of the 6.5-km Z-Morh Tunnel inaugurated last year, which transformed Sonamarg into a year-round destination.

Engineering marvel

A team of over 1,200 personnel is working on the project; 80% of them are local residents with many specialists converged from across the country.

Started in: October 2020

Total length: 13.15km (India’s longest road tunnel)

Altitude: 11,578 feet above sea level (India’s highest road tunnel)

Shape: Single-tube, horseshoe-shaped

Travel time: Reduced from 2 hours to around 35 minutes

Strategic scope: All-weather link between Kashmir and Ladakh

Travel time: Reduced from 3 hours to 35 minutes

Estimated cost: ₹6,800 crore

Final commissioning: Late 2028

“This is not just a tunnel but a lifeline and this has helped us prove the thinking of the engineering capability of a new India. This is an excellent example of technical excellence,” Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari