Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the 6.4-kilometer-long Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg Highway on January 13, official sources said on Wednesday.
The Z-Morh tunnel, along with the 13-kilometer-long under-construction Zojila tunnel, forms a crucial part of a strategic project for ensuring round-the-year connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh region which remains closed during the winters due to heavy snowfall.
The Z-Morh tunnel, which will be thrown open next week, connects the picturesque tourist resort of Sonamarg with Kangan town in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir. Situated near the village of Gagangeer, the tunnel would ensure uninterrupted year-round access to Sonamarg, a popular destination on the Srinagar-Leh highway.
Prime Minister Modi will address officers and workers involved in the project on Monday during the inauguration ceremony. The event will also be attended by Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari; Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha; and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, officials said.
The tunnel project hasn’t been without challenges. In October last year, militants targeted workers from APCO Infratech, the infrastructure company responsible for constructing the Z-Morh tunnel. The attack that left seven workers including a local doctor dead marked the first such incident targeting a key infrastructure project in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Z-Morh tunnel will complement the larger Zojila tunnel project, which aims to connect Sonamarg in Kashmir with Drass in Ladakh. Spanning 13 kilometers, the Zojila tunnel is slated for completion by December 2026. Once operational, this ambitious project will provide seamless connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh, reducing travel disruptions during winter.
The all-weather connectivity will provide a lot of relief to the Army and the local people in the union territory of Ladakh
UNI
