Historic Feat: At 11,578 Feet, Zojila Tunnel Records Major Breakthrough For Kashmir-Ladakh Link

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday attended the symbolic excavation of the final rock barrier inside the tunnel under the breakthrough ceremony of the world's longest bi-directional Zojila Tunnel. The Union Minister was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and CM Omar Abdullah.Addressing a press conference, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, said, "This tunnel is state-of-art. This tunnel has been constructed with world class safety standard, and it will provide all weather connectivity to Leh, Ladakh.""I visited Ladakh when I was BJP president and people told me that everything remains closed for six months and there's connectivity. It pained me to see how the locals here are facing

so many difficulties. Our government came to power in 2014 under the leadership of PM Modi and he gave highest priority to infrastructure development. I was handed over the responsibility of this department and then this project was initiated," he added. The 13.153-km-long Zojila Tunnel is a key strategic project that will ensure year-round connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh. The achievement not only demonstrates the indomitable courage of Indian engineers but also marks the beginning of a new era for millions of people living in Kashmir and Ladakh.

#WATCH | Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari triggers the Zoji-La tunnel final breakthrough. The strategically significant 13.15-kilometre Zoji-La Tunnel will link Jammu and Kashmir with LadakhThis marks a major milestone in India's infrastructure history… pic.twitter.com/dbd9KzO4vF

— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2026

Zojila Tunnel: All You Need To Know About

• Located in the Zojila Pass region between Baltal near the Sonmarg hill station of Jammu and Kashmir and Minmaragh in Ladakh's Drass district, the Zoji La Tunnel project was executed to provide all-weather connectivity across one of India’s most challenging Himalayan corridors, which remains cut off for long periods every year due to heavy snowfall, avalanches and extreme weather conditions.
• The tunnel, situated at an elevation of 11,578 ft 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 while significantly strengthening mobility, logistics reliability and strategic access in a sensitive border zone.
• The Zojila Tunnel Project carries immense socio-economic and strategic importance. “It is expected to transform regional connectivity, improve the movement of people and goods, reduce weather-related isolation and support economic activity, tourism and essential services across the region,” officials said.
• The Zojila Tunnel is expected to significantly improve both civilian and military mobility in the region, underlining its role not only as an infrastructure project, but also as a national connectivity and security asset.

With excavation now completed, 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.The project began on October 1, 2020, and the overall safety achievement is 10 million safe man-hours.