SRINAGAR: The 13.150-kilometre-long Zoji La tunnel, which is Asia’s longest highway tunnel at high altitude and will provide all-weather connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories, is expected to achieve breakthrough by May 30 with 290 metres of excavation remaining.
The tunnelling work is progressing simultaneously from both ends—Baltal in Kashmir and Minamarg on the Ladakh side—to speed up construction. “Once the excavation work drops below 20 metres, it would be done on one side.
We are confident of achieving the critical breakthrough of connecting the tunnel from both sides by May 30,” said Harpal Singh, Joint Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL).
At present around 1,200 engineers, technicians, mechanics and labourers are engaged in the project, which awarded to MEIL in October 2020. Work started in April 2021. Built at an estimated cost of `2,600 crore, the Zoji La tunnel is 7.57-m-high horseshoe-shaped single-tube, two-lane tunnel, which will pass under Zojila pass between Ganderbal in central Kashmir and Drass town in Kargil district of Ladakh.
The winter temperatures at the site often plunge to minus 18 degrees Celsius at night while daytime temperature remains below freezing. The region is prone to avalanches, making construction during winter months challenging. “The challenges are many—complex geology, water ingress, and extreme cold—but our focus has remained on zero risk and maximum safety,” Singh said.
After the breakthrough, work will accelerate on 8 to 10 additional fronts focusing on finishing, lining, and safety installations, he said. “If no major unforeseen problems arise, the tunnel is expected to be completed between May and September 2028,” Singh said.
According to the MEIL official, international safety norms have been integrated into the project, ensuring zero compromise on safety despite complex geology, water ingress issues and tunnel collapse risks. The tunnel will have extensive snow protection infrastructure. Once operational, the tunnel will have two-lane traffic and a dedicated 1.5-metre-wide walkway for maintenance and emergency crews.
The tunnel will eliminate seasonal isolation of Ladakh caused by prolonged winter closure of the Zoji La, which remains inaccessible for several months each year due to heavy snowfall and extreme weather conditions.