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The Zojila Tunnel, the world’s longest single-tube bi-directional road tunnel at the highest altitude, achieved its final breakthrough on Tuesday.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari attended the breakthrough event at Zojila. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were also present.
The breakthrough of the 13.153-km tunnel is a historic milestone in India’s infrastructure history, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL), the project’s developer, said.
The tunnel is being constructed in the Zojila region between Baltal in Sonamarg and Meenamarg in the Drass and Kargil sector in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to provide all-weather connectivity across one of India’s most challenging Himalayan corridors. The route remains cut off for long periods every year due to heavy snow, avalanches and extreme weather conditions.
Officials said the breakthrough signifies the completion of excavation work. The tunnel is expected to be opened to the public likely within the next two years.
Officials said the tunnel, which is positioned at an elevation of 11,578 feet above sea level, “represents one of the most significant engineering achievements in India’s mountain infrastructure sector”.
Once fully operational, the project will ensure 365-day connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh, improving access to Drass, Kargil, Leh and surrounding regions. It is also expected to strengthen mobility, logistics reliability and strategic access in a sensitive border zone.
The tunnel would significantly improve both civilian and military mobility in the region.
“At the national level, the tunnel strengthens operational mobility and logistics preparedness in a strategically important frontier corridor, underlining its role not only as an infrastructure project but also as a national connectivity and security asset,” MEIL said on Monday.
With excavation now complete, the project moves closer to delivering its long-envisioned objective of seamless all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, bringing long-term benefits in mobility, economic integration and strategic resilience.
