Srinagar: The Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari Wednesday said the construction of Zoji La tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh highway will be completed before 2024, while another Z-Morh tunnel will be completed in the next three months.
Speaking during the Question Hour in Lok Sabha today, while highlighting the steps taken to link critical roads with national highways from Leh-Ladakh region, Gadkari said the government is constructing Zoji La tunnel below Kargil and the work is in progress.
This tunnel is to be completed in 3.5 years. About 1,000 laborers are working in minus 8 degree temperature inside the tunnel. “I am sure the tunnel will be ready before 2024,” he said.
The Minister said while the cost of the tunnel in the tender was projected at Rs 11,000 crore, the government made special efforts to bring down the cost by Rs 5,000 crore.
The Z-Morh tunnel is “more or less complete” and will be completed fully in the next three months, he said, adding that this will reduce the travel time by 6 hours from Leh-Ladakh.
