Zojila Tunnel : Closer To Completion
The strategic Zojila Tunnel between Kashmir and Kargil moved closer to completion with its final breakthrough, marking a major milestone in all-weather connectivity to Ladakh.
- The Zojila Tunnel is a high-altitude road tunnel connecting Jammu & Kashmir with Ladakh and is expected to provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir, Kargil and Ladakh. It is located near Zojila Pass, which connects the Kashmir Valley with Drass, Kargil and Ladakh.
- It is around 13.14 km to 14.15 km long and is projected to be among the world’s longest single-tube, bi-directional road tunnels at an altitude of about 11,578 feet.
- The existing Kashmir-Ladakh highway remains closed for nearly five to six months in winter due to heavy snowfall, avalanches and landslides, cutting off Ladakh and restricting civilian and military movement.
- Zojila is one of three key corridors to Ladakh, along with the Rohtang route through Himachal Pradesh and the Shinku La tunnel route connecting Himachal with Ladakh’s Zanskar Valley.
- The tunnel will enhance the movement of military vehicles and logistics to forward areas, especially during emergencies along the Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC).
- During the 1999 Kargil War, the Kashmir–Kargil highway became vulnerable to Pakistani shelling, creating difficulties in transporting troops and material.
