Srinagar: The much-awaited Z Morh tunnel in Kashmir is readying for inauguration with Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelling to the region next week, ETV Bharat has learnt.
Highly placed sources in the Jammu and Kashmir government said the tunnel spanning over 6.5 kilometres will be opened for the public on January 13. General Manager of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) VK Pandey said they are readying for the preparations ahead of the PM’s visit.
"But the final nod is yet to come. We have been told, the tunnel can be inaugurated between January 11-14,” he added. Ahead of the visit, the Special Protection Group (SPG) will arrive tomorrow to take over the security of the tunnel for a smooth opening, an official said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah without conforming the date said that Jammu and Kashmir looks forward to the inauguration of the tunnel in the coming days.
"This will be a game changer for the expansion of winter tourism in the Valley," he posted on X.
The project developed by APCO Amarnathji Tunnelway Pvt Ltd achieved COD (Commercial Operation Date) on July 24 2024 but was awaiting for pubic opening since then. The delay was marked by Model Code of Conduct during the J&K Legislative Assembly polls followed by a terror attack on the tunnel’s site camp in October.
The attack believed to be executed by Lashkar-e-Toiba resulted in the killing of seven workers of the project including a doctor from Budgam.
Constructed at Rs 2400 crore, the Z-Morh Tunnel project was awarded on build-operate-transfer (annuity) basis including construction, operation and maintenance of the tunnel. The developer has been awarded a maintenance period of 15 years from the completion date. Sitting an altitude of 8,500 feet, the strategic tunnel on the snow avalanche-prone Srinagar-Leh highway in the Ganderbal district would allow all-weather connectivity with the popular tourist destination Sonamarg.
Besides, it would allow smooth passage of military logistics to Ladakh. This tunnel was opened for vehicular traffic last week on an 'emergency basis' to clear stranded vehicles because of heavy snow causing slippery road conditions on the highway. The Z-Morh tunnel project was first conceived by the Border Roads Organisation in 2012 and later handed over to the NHIDCL.
