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India Government working to complete Zojila tunnel asia's largest bi-directional tunnel

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Digital Newspaper24x7
India Government working to complete Zojila tunnel asia's largest bi-directional tunnel

The project is strategically important because the Zojila Pass, located on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway at an altitude of 11,578 feet (nearly 3,529 metres), is closed in the winters due to snowfall, consequently cutting Ladakh off from Kashmir.

CCTV camera also fixed in the tunnel 24 x7 surveillance was taken by a government fully secured and high protection will be placed.

He further said that although a revised estimated cost of over Rs 8,000 crore has been presented before the cabinet, the ministry is deliberating on design changes to prevent cost escalation

Slated to be the longest bi-directional tunnel in Asia, the Zojila tunnel’s foundation stone was laid in May 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), which had initially awarded the contract for the tunnel to IL&FS group’s IL&FS Transportation, terminated the contract in January last year after the group abandoned the project over financial issues.

Zojila Tunnel

The 14.15 km long Zojila Tunnel is significant as it will reduce the 3.5-hour drive to a mere 15 minutes of travel.

The estimated time of completion of the tunnel is seven years from the commencement of the construction.

Additionally, the tunnel’s proposed plan included the provision of pedestrian cross passages every 250 metres, emergency telephones and fire-fighting cabinets every 125 metres and motorable cross passages and lay-bys every 750 metres.

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