PM Modi To Inaugurate Z-Morh Tunnel In J&K On Monday: 8 Points About Sonamarg Project

The tunnel has been built at a cost of Rs 2,400 crore on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway and will be a major step towards making the Ladakh region accessible by road throughout the year.

Security personnel stand guard near the Z-Morh tunnel project site, in J&K.

Source : PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Z-Morh tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday (January 13), in a significant step to ensure all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh.

The 6.5-km-long tunnel located on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, aims to transform travel in the region. It will ensure seamless connectivity between Gagangir and Sonamarg, and ease summer travel to Ladakh.

PM Modi is likely to address a public rally after the inauguration of the tunnel at Gagangir, officials said.

Here is all you need to know about the Z-Morh tunnel:

- The two-lane tunnel is part of the Centre's broader initiative to enhance connectivity in the Himalayan region. Together with the under-construction 14-km-long Zoji La tunnel, it forms a crucial link to Ladakh. 

- The tunnel has been built at a cost of Rs 2,400 crore on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway and will be a major step towards making the Ladakh region accessible by road throughout the year. The project comprises the Sonamarg main tunnel, an egress tunnel and approach roads, according to news agency PTI. 

- The tunnel, built at an altitude of 8,652 feet, 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 Z-Morh tunnel has reduced travel time between Srinagar and Sonamarg allowing vehicles to travel at speeds of up to 70 kilometer per hour compared to the earlier 30 kilometer per hour on the winding roads.

- Residents of the Ganderbal district, living on either side of the Z-Morh tunnel, are hopeful that the mega-infrastructure project will boost the local economy and help eradicate unemployment in the area.

- The work on the Z-Morh tunnel began in May 2015. It 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. The project was retendered in 2019 and awarded to APCO Infratech in January 2020, which had emerged as the lowest bidder.

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

- Along with the Zojila tunnel, set for completion by 2028, it will reduce the route length from 49 km to 43 km and boost vehicle speed from 30 km/hr to 70 km/hr, ensuring seamless NH-1 connectivity between Srinagar Valley and Ladakh.