The Silk Road of Tomorrow: Inside the ₹2,600 Crore Zojila Project

The 13.15-km Zojila Tunnel, Asia’s longest high-altitude highway tunnel, is expected to reach a major construction milestone by April–May 2026.

The ₹2,600 crore project will provide all-weather connectivity between Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, effectively ending the region’s long-standing winter isolation. Construction is being carried out under extremely challenging conditions, with engineers and workers contending with sub-zero temperatures, heavy snowfall, and persistent avalanche risks.

Being executed by Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), the project comprises a single-tube, two-lane tunnel running beneath the Zojila Pass, connecting Ganderbal in Kashmir with Drass in Ladakh’s Kargil district. Work is progressing simultaneously from both the Kashmir and Ladakh ends to expedite completion.

Once operational, the tunnel will enable uninterrupted year-round civilian and military movement, significantly improving logistics and facilitating the faster deployment of defence equipment to the strategically sensitive border region. Harpal Singh, Joint Chief Operating Officer of MEIL, said that excavation has been completed for about 12 km of the total tunnel length, marking substantial progress toward completion.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.