Race against ice: Breakthrough push inside the Zojila Tunnel at 11,578 ft

Braving sub-zero temperatures and challenging high-altitude terrain, the work is underway through day and night, and workers are racing to achieve the breakthrough- the moment when excavation from both ends meet. The total project is worth Rs 6809 crores. The project is being constructed at an altitude of 11,578 feet of the Zojila Pass and once completed, it becomes India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel at this altitude. Last year, Lok Sabha was informed that the project commenced with an initial scheduled completion date of September 2026, but has been delayed due to multiple factors, including the Covid- 19, a militant attack at Sonamarg Tunnel project in 2024, and extreme adverse weather conditions. The project is now targeted for completion by February 2028. The project is divided into two parts: Connecting Road from Z-Morh tunnel to Zojila Tunnel which also includes bridges, tunnels, cut and cover structures which already has been completed. Then the main tunnel is 13.153 kilometers.

#ZojilaTunnel #EngineeringMarvel #HighAltitudeTunnel #HimalayanInfrastructure #IndiaInfrastructure #TunnelConstruction #ZojilaPass #MountainEngineering #StrategicTunnels #RoadConstructionIndia