(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate on January 13 the Rs 2,400 crore strategic Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, which will be a major step towards making the Ladakh region accessible by road throughout the year.
The 6.5 km tunnel is vital in terms of the defence needs of the country in the Ladakh region and also connecting the youngest union territory to the rest of the country.
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According to an official involved in the construction of the key infrastructure project, if the weather holds good, Modi is likely to physically inaugurate the tunnel.
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“In case of inclement weather, the tunnel will be e-inaugurated,” he said.
The opening of Z-Morh tunnel will help to keep the vital Srinagar-Leh highway open across the year. The Z-Morh Tunnel, spanning 6.5 km will significantly reduce travel time along the Gagangir-Sonamarg stretch of the road that gets blocked by heavy snowfall and avalanches that hit the area every year.
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The Z-Morh Tunnel is named after the Z-shaped stretch of road that the tunnel has replaced (Z-Morh translates to“Z-turn” in English).
The road used before was avalanche-prone and often got blocked for several months, but the Z-Morh tunnel provides all-weather connectivity to the Sonamarg tourist town. It takes only 15 minutes to travel the 6.5 km long tunnel compared to hours over the zig-zag road up and down the hills.
Together with the adjacent Zoji-La Tunnel, this geostrategically important tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh Highway will provide year-round weather-proof connectivity to Baltal (Amarnath cave), Kargil and other places in the Ladakh region.
The tunnel will bolster military logistics, ensuring year-round access for the Indian armed forces.
Heavy snowfall around the Gund area of Kangan forces the closure of Srinagar-Sonamarg during the winter months. With the opening of the Z-Morh tunnel, the Srinagar-Sonamarg stretch of the road will be an all-weather road and also boost winter tourism in Sonamarg area, officials said.
The project has created employment opportunities during its construction phase and will further benefit the local economy by enhancing tourism and allied industries like hospitality, transport, and retail.
The construction of the tunnel began in 2018, facing several challenges due to the rugged Himalayan terrain and extreme weather.
The tunnel workers came under terror attack on October 20, 2024, when two terrorists entered the workers' camp at Gagangir and fired indiscriminately. Seven civilians, including six non-local workers of the infrastructure company building the Z-Morh tunnel, were killed. A local doctor was also killed in the attack.
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