The Zojila Tunnel project is set to achieve a key milestone with its final breakthrough scheduled for June 9. The tunnel, being executed by Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd. (MEIL) for the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), will provide all-weather connectivity between the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari is expected to attend the breakthrough ceremony.
At 13.153 km, the Zojila Tunnel is the world’s longest single-tube bi-directional road tunnel at the highest altitude. It stretches from Baltal near Sonamarg to Meenamarg in the Drass-Kargil region, at an elevation of about 11,578 feet above sea level.
The overall project spans 30.894 km, including roads and bridges. Apart from the main tunnel, it includes the 457.35-metre Nilgrar Tunnel T1 and the 1,953.63-metre Nilgrar Tunnel T2. The project also comprises three bridges with a combined length of 460 metres, seven cut-and-cover structures extending 2,350 metres and a 450-metre snow gallery.
In addition, it features India’s longest vertical shaft measuring 474.3 metres, along with two other shafts of 367.38 metres and 213.5 metres for ventilation and emergency safety.
The project aims to address longstanding connectivity issues caused by the seasonal closure of the Zojila Pass due to heavy snowfall, avalanches and extreme weather.
Constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), the tunnel is considered a major engineering initiative in mountain infrastructure. Once operational, it will ensure all-weather access between Srinagar and Ladakh, improving connectivity to Drass, Kargil and Leh.
It is also expected to enhance civilian movement, logistics and strategic mobility in the border region, while supporting economic activity and tourism.
For execution, MEIL established a base camp accommodating over 1,100 personnel and deployed heavy equipment, including trucks, loaders, excavators, batching plants, crushing units and advanced drilling machinery.
Published – June 07, 2026 09:41 pm IST
