Zojila strategic all-weather tunnel between Kashmir and Kargil to see the final breakthrough

A view of the 13.153 km Zojila Tunnel, the world’s longest single-tube two-way road tunnel at the highest altitude. File | Photo credit: ANI

India’s ambitious, strategic and all-weather Zojila tunnel in the unstable seismic zone IV will witness the final breakthrough on June 9 as Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari oversees the final blast from the Kargil side. The 13.14 km long tunnel cuts through the mighty Himalayas at an altitude of 11,578 feet and connects the Kashmir valley with Ladakh’s Kargil.

Mr. Gadkari will preside over the final blasting process of the last block that will see the tunnel. The tunnel is likely to allow security officials to transport goods, machinery and supplies to high-altitude bases in Ladakh during the height of winter for the first time in the coming winters, officials said. Previously, supplies were maintained during the early autumn months to feed the troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during the winter.

The Zojila Tunnel bypasses the weather-dependent Zojila Pass, which is prone to rock-blasting landslides and remains closed due to snow accumulation in winter.

‘The Decisive Moment’

A spokesman for Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), which began work on the tunnel in 2020, called the final breakthrough a “defining moment”. “It demonstrates the successful implementation of one of India’s most complex transport infrastructures in a hostile Himalayan environment,” senior MEIL officials said.

Excavation work has been completed on the world’s longest two-tube bi-directional road tunnel at an altitude of over 11,500 feet. “The project will deliver the long-anticipated goal of seamless all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh and will bring long-term benefits in terms of mobility, economic integration and strategic resilience,” MEIL officials said.

The tunnel cost more than ₹6800 crore. A 7.57 meter high single-tube double-lane horse-shoe tunnel will pass under the strenuous Zojila Pass between Ganderbal district in Kashmir and Drass district in Ladakh. Officials say the travel time between Ganderbal and Kargil will be reduced from three hours to 20 minutes.

Extreme weather conditions

The construction of the tunnel faced a great challenge due to the extreme weather conditions, which dropped from minus 20 degrees Celsius to minus 30 degrees Celsius almost 100 days a year. Officials said the project site has faced five major avalanche situations in the past five years, damaging machinery and equipment. On January 15, 2023, the military rescued and evacuated over 172 workers trapped in an avalanche. Two employees also lost their lives. “This highly volatile geology was successfully managed through the expertise of our experienced crew,” officials said.

Officials said the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) was used because it suited the fragile Himalayan geology and variable rock conditions. “NATM relies on sequential excavation, immediate support measures such as shotcrete and rock anchoring, and continuous geotechnical monitoring, allowing engineers to flexibly respond to changing ground conditions during tunneling,” officials added.

The Zojila tunnel has four culverts, four Nilgrar tunnels, eight excavated passages and 220 meters of vertical ventilation shafts. The western portal of the tunnel starts at Baltal and ends at the eastern portal at Meenamarg.

Published – 08 June 2026 22:30 IST