Union Minister Nitin Gadkari initiates Asia's longest ZojiLa Tunnel works virtually

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State News

Oct 15, 2020

8:16PM

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari initiates Asia's longest ZojiLa Tunnel works virtually

@nitin_gadkari

In Ladakh Union Territory, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Mr Nitin Gadkari initiated Asia's longest ZojiLa Tunnel works virtually, by igniting ceremonial blasts, today.

The 15 years old languishing project finally took off with twin blasts at East portals of Meenamarg and Baltal Thursday afternoon.

On the first day , blasts conducted twice on both the portals to waste no time on ceremonies.

AIR correspondent reports, at a height of 3000 meters in the Peerpanjal mountain range, construction of Zojila tunnel is a historic necessity to provide an all weather road connectivity between Ladakh and the rest of the world.

Reduced cost and construction time and aggressive Implementation of the revised plans are giving confidence in the general public this time.

Minister Nitin Gadkari also sets a target for the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and the contractor to complete the construction before 2024.
ZojiLa is a challenging and dangerous route especially during the winters. This pass on national Highway One gets closed nearly six months in a year.

In completion, the single tube ZojiLa Tunnel will have a bi-directional two lane with a design speed of 80 kilo meters in the tunnel.

The tunnel also will have all necessary safety features and avalanche protection structures, catch dams, snow galleries and deflector dams to give all weather and safe road connectivity.

The Rs. 4,430 crore Tunnel will reduce the travel time in the stretch from three and half hours to just 15 minutes.

ZojiLa tunnel will be a signature infrastructure in Ladakh region.

Along with the socio economic development of the region, the tunnel also provides facility for swift movement of armed forces from other parts of the country as and when required.