The strategically significant Zojila Tunnel project on the Srinagar–Leh highway is about to achieve a major milestone on Tuesday as the excavation work reaches the final breakthrough stage, marking a historic moment in India’s infrastructure development in the Himalayas.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will attend the breakthrough ceremony at the Zojila Tunnel’s eastern portal, where officials said only around three metres of rock remained before the two ends of the tunnel — from Baltal in Kashmir and Minamarg in Ladakh — finally met.
“India’s most challenging infrastructure taking shape in the remote heights of the Himalayas: Zojila Tunnel! Main ‘Tunnel Breakthrough’ Ceremony: 9 June 2026,” Gadkari posted on X on Monday.
The minister is scheduled to reach the “breakthrough point” from the Ladakh side of the tunnel. Following the final blast connecting both ends, a limited number of vehicles will be allowed to pass through the tunnel in a symbolic first movement marking the historic milestone.
The minister’s schedule included inspection of the tunnel, participation in the breakthrough ceremony and a meeting with tunnel workers and staff at the eastern portal.
According to officials associated with the project, the breakthrough marks the completion of the crucial excavation phase of the over 13-kilometre-long tunnel, being constructed to provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.
Joint Chief Operating Officer of Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), Harpal Singh, had earlier stated that excavation work on the 13,155-metre-long tunnel was in its final phase, with teams from both sides expected to meet inside the tunnel in a symbolic moment.
“After the breakthrough, people from both sides will shake hands inside the tunnel. It will be a historic moment and will make further works easier,” Singh had said.
Constructed in one of the world’s most challenging terrains, the Zojila Tunnel is set to become India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel. Once operational, it will reduce travel time between Sonamarg and Drass from nearly three hours to around 15 minutes.
Officials said that although the excavation breakthrough is about to be achieved, the overall project completion deadline remains February 2028, as lining, ventilation, safety systems, and other finishing works are still underway.
The tunnel holds immense strategic and economic significance, ensuring year-round connectivity to Ladakh, which remains cut off during winter due to heavy snowfall and frequent avalanches along the Zojila axis. The project is also expected to boost defence logistics, tourism and trade, and in the region.
