Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the strategic Z-Morh tunnel in Kashmir, which is a key part of the major road construction project that will provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh.
Built at a cost of around Rs 2,680 crore, the Z-Morh tunnel is a crucial component of the extensive Zojila tunnel project, scheduled to be completed in 2030, and designed to ensure all-weather connectivity between Srinagar to Ladakh.
The Z-Morh Tunnel will connect Sonamarg (also spelt as Sonmarg), the scenic tourist destination on the Srinagar-Ladakh highway, and Kangan town of central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
Sonamarg would remain inaccessible and cut off from the rest of the Valley during winter months as the only road link would remain accumulated with heavy snow and prone to landslides.
PM Modi will inaugurate the tunnel at 11.30 am. He is also set to address a public function at the venue where people have been ferried in a fleet of State Road Transport Corporation buses.
This will be Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the UT elected its first government led by National Conference. The PM will be flanked by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Ajay Tamta, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma, Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and MP Ghulam Ali. Gadkari, Jitendra Singh arrived in Srinagar on Sunday evening.
The venue where the PM is scheduled to address the public was sealed by the security forces and intelligence agencies a week ago. The Leh-Srinagar highway was closed on Saturday (January 11) up to Monday (Jan 13) and will be opened after the PM leaves the venue.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday evening visited the tunnel and reviewed the preparations for the inauguration. Omar posted the pictures and videos on X which were reposted by the PM, indicating bonhomie on development projects between the two leaders. “The tunnel will provide all weather connectivity and will promote winter tourism on Sonmarg,” Omar said on Sunday.
I am eagerly awaiting my visit to Sonmarg, Jammu and Kashmir for the tunnel inauguration. You rightly point out the benefits for tourism and the local economy.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 11, 2025
Also, loved the aerial pictures and videos! https://t.co/JCBT8Ei175
Officials said the venue and its adjacent areas were taken over by SPG personnel, while security forces including Jammu and Kashmir police and other paramilitary forces maintained a strong security cover and vigil in Ganderbal and other areas.
The Z-Morh tunnel built in the Gagangeer area faced a deadly attack by militants last year in November where six labourers working on the construction site and a local doctor were killed. Since the attack, the security measures have been strengthened and more paramilitary forces have been deployed around it.
Features of the tunnel
After 12 years since its conception, the Z-Morh Tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi today. The main tunnel stretches approximately 6.4 kilometres with a width of 10 meters and is a horseshoe-shaped, single-tube bi-directional tunnel suitable for two-way traffic.
There is also a parallel 6.4 km-long, 7.5-meter-wide escape tunnel to ensure safety during emergencies. At a top speed of 80 km/h, the tunnel can handle up to 1,000 cars per hour.
The tunnel, which is around 8,650 feet above sea level, has a cutting-edge longitudinal ventilation system for the best possible air quality. It was built with the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) for increased stability and has emergency communication channels, firefighting apparatus, and contemporary surveillance systems.
Strategic Importance
Named after the Z-shaped road segment where it is constructed, the tunnel offers all-weather connectivity to Sonamarg, a region that typically becomes inaccessible during winter due to heavy snowfall and avalanches. The tunnel will notably enhance accessibility for Indian defense forces stationed in Ladakh, particularly in areas near the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) border and the China-India Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Construction and Timeline
The Z-Morh tunnel project was first conceived by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in 2012 and later handed over to the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). After a re-tendering process, the construction contract was awarded to APCO Infratech, a private firm managing the project through a special purpose vehicle, APCO-Shri Amarnathji Tunnel Private Limited.
Originally slated for completion by August 2023, the tunnel faced delays, postponing its inauguration. A soft launch occurred in February 2024, but the official inauguration was delayed due to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
Part of a Larger Project
The Z-Morh Tunnel is one of 31 tunnels planned — 20 in Jammu and Kashmir and 11 in Ladakh. The tunnel is a crucial component of the extensive Zojila tunnel project, designed to ensure all-weather access from Srinagar to Ladakh. Currently under construction at an elevation of around 12,000 feet, the Zojila tunnel project will link Sonamarg with Drass in Ladakh and is projected for completion by December 2030. Once operational, this tunnel will be vital for military access to the Ladakh region, especially in winter when traditional routes are obstructed by snow.
