Zojila tunnel will India's longest road tunnel and Asia's longest bi-directional tunnel. The 14.2 kim tunnel is estimated to cost over 6,000 crores and will cut travel time between Srinagar to Leh/wion/media/post_attachments/files/2018/09/12/48065-gadkari3-kadH--621x414%40LiveMint.jpg)
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi to kickstart work on prestigious Zojila tunnel
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is arriving on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir today, will kickstart work on prestigious Zojila tunnel, that will provide all-weather connectivity between Ladakh and the Valley, and lay foundation stones for or inaugurate other infrastructure projects.The tunnel is set to take seven years to build by India.
(Photograph:PTI)
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Zojila pass
The government in January approved the Rs 6,809-crore strategic Zojila pass tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir. Zojila pass is situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway which remains closed during winters (December to April) due to heavy snowfall and avalanches cutting off Leh-Ladakh region from Kashmir.
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India's longest road tunnel
The 14-kilometre long Zojila tunnel will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel.It will cut down the time taken to cross the Zojila pass from the present three and a half hours, to just fifteen minutes.The PMO office tweeted about the Zojila tunnel saying it will lead to all-round economic and socio-cultural integration of these regions.
(Photograph:Zee News Network)
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Construction of the Zojila pass will conserve time
This route remains snow-bound for a large part of the year, and is ravaged by frequent avalanches. As a result, road connectivity to places in the Ladakh region stands disrupted for long periods, preventing even essential supplies from reaching people, shutting down businesses, affecting healthcare and education.The tunnel will cut down the time taken to cross the Zojila pass from the present 3.5 hours to just 15 minutes, besides making the drive much more safer and convenient.
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Economic and socio-cultural integration
The construction of the tunnel is expected to bring about all-round economic and socio-cultural integration of these regions. In addition to direct jobs generated during construction, it will also lead to massive indirect and spinoff jobs due to acceleration of economic growth.The government is committed to development of manpower skilled for tunnelling jobs in Jammu and Kashmir.