Final rock falls at Zojila: India completes breakthrough in world's longest bi-directional road tunnel

India on Tuesday achieved the final breakthrough in the Zojila Tunnel, a major milestone for the world's longest single-tube bi-directional road tunnel that is set to provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.

The breakthrough was achieved after a controlled blast pierced the final 2.5-metre stretch of rock inside the tunnel, bringing a decades-old dream of year-round connectivity across the Zojila Pass closer to reality. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari pressed the remote button to trigger the blast near the East Portal at Minimarg in Ladakh. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were also present.

Officials of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) said the breakthrough was achieved six months ahead of schedule.


"This tunnel is state-of-art. This tunnel has been constructed with world class safety standard, and it will provide all weather connectivity to Leh, Ladakh. I visited Ladakh when I was BJP president and people told me that everything remains closed for six months and there's connectivity. It pained me to see how the locals here are facing so many difficulties," Gadkari said.


The 13.153-km tunnel is being constructed at an altitude of around 11,578 feet above sea level and is considered one of India's most ambitious infrastructure projects. The horseshoe-shaped tunnel, measuring 9.5 metres in width and 7.57 metres in height, will form the centrepiece of a 31-km project that includes approach roads and bridges connecting Sonamarg to Minimarg.

According to project officials, around 85 per cent of the overall work has been completed. Following the breakthrough, civil construction work is expected to continue for another seven to eight months before electrical and systems installation begins. The tunnel is likely to be opened to the public in February 2028.

The project is being executed by Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), which used the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) to navigate the fragile Himalayan geology and bore through the mountain range.

Once operational, the tunnel will provide year-round, weather-proof connectivity on the strategically important Srinagar-Leh National Highway. The route is currently vulnerable to closures due to heavy snowfall and harsh weather conditions, disrupting travel and supply lines between Kashmir and Ladakh.

The tunnel is expected to significantly improve civilian and military mobility in the region. Officials said it will reduce travel time across the Zojila section from around one to one-and-a-half hours to just 15 minutes, while ensuring uninterrupted access through a corridor that is frequently affected by snow and avalanches during winter months.

The breakthrough paves the way for the final phase of construction and brings one of India's most challenging high-altitude infrastructure projects a step closer to completion.