Context: With the military confrontation with China in Ladakh putting extra pressure on mobilisation of men and machinery in the past two years, around 1,000 workers continued working in snow-bound Sonamarg in central Kashmir this winter to advance the deadline by two years for Zoila tunnel.
Earlier, it was supposed to be completed by 2026.
About Zojila tunnel
The tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar valley and Leh on NH-1 and will bring about an all-round economic and socio-cultural integration of Jammu and Kashmir.
It takes 3.5 hours to travel between Srinagar and Ladakh. The tunnel will reduce the travel time to 15 minutes.
The 14.15-km tunnel will be Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel.
