SRINAGAR: The strategically important 13.150-kilometre-long Zojila Tunnel, which is Asia’s longest highway tunnel at high altitude and will provide all-weather connectivity between the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, is expected to achieve a crucial breakthrough by April–May 2026. Built at an estimated cost of Rs 2,600 crore, the Zojila Tunnel project is being executed by Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL). The tunnel is a 7.57-metre-high, horseshoe-shaped, single-tube, two-lane tunnel that will pass under the Zojila Pass in the Himalayas between Ganderbal in central Kashmir and Drass town in Ladakh’s Kargil district. It will ensure all-weather connectivity and uninterrupted movement of civilian and military personnel between the two Union Territories. Harpal Singh, Joint Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of MEIL, said the excavation work on the Baltal–Zojila main tunnel has reached an advanced stage.

Source: Indian Express December 25, 2025 17:10 UTC