The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will initiate the primary blasting for construction-related work on the 14.15-km Zojila tunnel. It will provide all-year connectivity between the Kashmir valley and Leh and the govt said.
The project holds a strategic significance because the Zojila Pass is situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh national highway and It will remains closed during winters due =to heavy snowfall. it’ is one o fthe foremost dangerous stretches within the world to drive a vehicle and this project is additionally geo-strategically sensitive.
“The tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity between the Srinagar valley and Leh on NH-1, and It can cause an all-round economic and socio–cultural integration of J&K,” it said during a statement.
It involves construction of a 14.15-km-long tunnel at an altitude of about 3,000 m under the Zojila pass (presently motorable just for six months during a year) on NH-1 connecting Srinagar and Leh through Drass and Kargil.
“This tunnel when it will be completed it will be a landmark achievement within the history of recent India. it will be of great importance to the Defence of the country.