SRINAGAR: Moving one step closer in providing all-weather road connectivity between J&K and Ladakh, Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) on Monday achieved a breakthrough in constructing the strategic Zoji La tunnel by completing the excavation of the second tube of Tunnel-1.
According to officials, T-1 has two tubes, with 448-metere and 472-metere lengths. “The first tube was day-lighted on November 4 and the second tube was day-lighted today,” they said. According to officials, the challenging task has been completed ahead of schedule. “It was difficult to tunnel this stretch as water kept seeping in,” they said.
The total length of Zoji La project is 32km and is divided into two parts. The highway will have two twin-tube tunnels, five bridges, and two snow galleries. Part-1 of the project, comprising 18km, connects Sonamarg and Taltal, having major bridges and twin tunnels. Officials said the next twin tubes having a length of 2km each shall achieve day-lighting in April 2022. MEIL, a leading infrastructure company, was awarded the Zoji La project in 2020.