18.10.13

A tunnel to Ladakh

The Cabinet cleared the proposal for construction of a 15-km tunnel at Zojila pass in Ladakh region. The project envisages construction of an all-weather road involving Rs 9,090 crore investment to ensure undisrupted round-the-year connectivity between Ladakh and Srinagar.
Highway ministry officials said that the construction of the tunnel will need at least seven years, and the contract for collecting toll will be for 15 years.
The Zojila pass is situated at an altitude of 11,578 ft on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway (NH-1), which remains closed from December to April. It is not feasible to keep the road clear during winter due to heavy snowfall, and to make matters worse the stretch is prone to severe avalanches. The project involves construction of a two-lane and bi-directional tunnel with an escape route.

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