The strategically important 13.15-km Zojila tunnel, located on the border of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, is set to reach a major milestone on June 9 when GoI Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari triggers the breakthrough blast.
Once completed, the tunnel will be the world’s longest single-tube bi-directional road tunnel at an altitude of 11,500 feet, providing all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir valley and Kargil in Ladakh.
Harpal Singh, joint chief operating officer of Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited, said excavation work on the Baltal-Zojila main tunnel is in its final phase.
“Of the total tunnel length of 13.15 kilometres, excavation work on 13.14 kilometres has been completed. Now just 10 meters of excavation work is remaining,” he said.
The project was awarded in October 2020, with construction commencing in April 2021. Excavation began simultaneously from Baltal in Kashmir and Minamarg in Ladakh to accelerate progress through a two-way working front strategy.
Singh said tunnelling operations are now being carried out only from the Minamarg side as the remaining excavation has been reduced to less than 10 metres.
According to officials, Gadkari will visit the project site to trigger the final blast marking the tunnel breakthrough. The project has faced significant engineering challenges, including fragile geology, unstable rock formations and water ingress in the Himalayas. Around 1,200 engineers, technicians, mechanics and labourers are currently engaged in the construction work.
Being built at an estimated cost of ₹2,600 crore, the Zojila tunnel is a 7.57-metre-high, horseshoe-shaped, single-tube, two-lane structure that will pass beneath the Zojila Pass in the Himalayas. It is being constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, which is considered suitable for fragile Himalayan geology.
“All international safety norms have been strictly integrated into the project, ensuring zero compromise on safety despite complex geology, water ingress issues and tunnel collapse risks,” Singh said.
Company officials said that after excavation is completed, work on concrete lining and the installation of an advanced ventilation system will begin. Once operational, the tunnel will support two-lane traffic and include a dedicated 1.5-metre-wide walkway for maintenance and emergency personnel.
