Zojila tunnel: Modi government working to complete Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel without cost escalation

Zojila tunnel status: The Zojila tunnel, meant to provide all-year connectivity between Leh and Srinagar, might undergo design changes in order to avoid cost escalation, PTI reported Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari as saying. He added that the Centre aims to complete building the tunnel at the original estimated cost of approximately Rs 6,800 crore. 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.