Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday inspected the Zojila tunnel along with Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and said that with the development of the tunnel, we aim to provide an all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and J&K. To get free connectivity. Kanyakumari.
The 13.14 kilometer long Zojila tunnel will be the longest tunnel in Asia which will provide all-weather connectivity to the Ladakh region with the rest of the country.
Talking to the media, Gadkari said that 19 tunnels are being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore. Under this, the construction work of 13.14 km long tunnel and approach road is in progress at Zojila at a cost of Rs 6,800 crore.
“It is a 7.57 meter high horseshoe-shaped single-tube, 2-lane tunnel, which will pass under the Zojila Pass in the Himalayas between Ganderbal in Kashmir and Drass town in Kargil district of Ladakh,” he said.
“The project consists of a Smart Tunnel (SCADA) system, which has been constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method. It is equipped with facilities such as CCTV, radio control, uninterrupted power supply and ventilation. Modern technology is used in the project Gadkari said, saving the Government of India more than Rs 5,000 crore.
Gadkari said, “Jammu and Kashmir’s roads will be made at par with American roads in the next 3-4 years.”
More about Zojila Tunnel
- Main Zojila tunnel of 13,153 m, four culverts of total length 810 m, four Nilgiri tunnels of total length 4,821 m, eight cuts and covers of total length 2,350 m and three 500 m, 391 m and 220 m vertical ventilation shafts are proposed .
- Till now 28 percent work of Zojila Tunnel has been completed.
- With the construction of this tunnel, there will be all-weather connectivity for Ladakh.
- At present, the average travel time to cross the Zojila Pass sometimes takes 3 hours, after the completion of this tunnel the travel time will come down to 20 minutes.
- The reduction in travel time will ultimately result in fuel savings.
- Officials said that the area near Zojila Pass is extremely inhospitable, with several fatal accidents taking place here every year.
- After the completion of Zojila tunnel, the possibility of accidents will be zero.
- This tunnel will provide year-round connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh, which will be extremely important for the development of Ladakh, promotion of tourism, free movement of local goods and movement of Indian armed forces in case of emergency.
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