Omar Abdullah Enjoys Skiing In Gulmarg Ahead Of Z-Morh Tunnel Inauguration By PM Modi: Watch

Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, enjoyed skiing in Kongdoori before the inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah skiis during his visit to Gulmarg to review preparations for the inauguration of Z-Morh Tunnel.

Source : PTI

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was seen enjoying skiing in Kongdoori ahead of the inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

On Sunday, Abdullah made a quick stop at Gulmarg to review the preparations for the inauguration. 

Speaking to reporters, the CM said that the tunnel "will enable the development of Sonamarg resort in Ganderbal district as a winter sports destination, similar to the famous Gulmarg skiing resort town." 

He also informed me about reviewing the preparations on X and shared aerial images of the areas around the tunnel. Reacting to the post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "eagerly waiting" for the visit. 

VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) visited Gulmarg, earlier today. He was seen enjoying Skiing in Kongdoori.

"Z-Morh tunnel will enable the development of Sonamarg resort in Ganderbal district as a winter sports destination, similar to the famous Gulmarg… pic.twitter.com/RB3Yi2oDbS

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 12, 2025

He also said he "loved the aerial pictures and videos." 

The 6.5-kilometre Z-Morh tunnel is located on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway and is a significant step to ensure all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh. 

The tunnel has been built at a cost of Rs 2,400 crore and will be a major step towards making the Ladakh region accessible by road throughout the year. The project includes the Sonamarg main tunnel, an egress tunnel and approach roads. 

Built at an altitude of  8,652 feet, the tunnel connects Gagangir and Sonmarg, a popular tourist destination. It bypasses avalanche-prone stretches of the highway, cutting travel time from over two hours to just 15 minutes, as per reports. 

The work on the tunnel began in May 2015 and took almost a decade to complete the work as the IL&FS, the initial concessionaire for executing the project, stopped work in 2018 due to financial stress.

In 2019, the project was re-tendered and awarded to APCO Infratech in 2020, which emerged as the lowest bidder. 

The Z-Morh tunnel is expected to make Sonmarg a year-round tourist destination with plans to develop it as a premier skiing and winter sports hub.