Minimarg: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the Zojila Tunnel will transform daily life across the region by improving access to essential services, boosting economic opportunities and ensuring year-round connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.
Speaking at the breakthrough ceremony of the strategically important tunnel, Abdullah described the project as a landmark development that would bring far-reaching benefits to the people of both Union Territories.
“The tunnel will transform daily life in the region,” the Chief Minister said, adding that it would ease access to education, healthcare and markets while significantly enhancing tourism and trade.
He said the full impact of the project may not be immediately visible but would be felt for generations to come. “It will bring improvements in people’s lives that we may not fully realise today,” Abdullah said while congratulating the people of the region on the historic milestone.
The Chief Minister accompanied Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari during the breakthrough ceremony, which marked the successful connection of both ends of the Zojila Tunnel. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and senior officials were also present on the occasion.
Abdullah said the breakthrough brings the region closer to achieving the long-awaited dream of all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh. For decades, heavy snowfall and harsh winter conditions forced the closure of the Zojila Pass, disrupting movement of people and goods for months every year.
Once operational, the tunnel is expected to drastically reduce travel time across the pass and provide uninterrupted connectivity throughout the year, improving access to services and creating new opportunities for economic growth.
The Chief Minister also expressed hope that the remaining work on the project would be completed at the earliest so that the tunnel could be dedicated to the people and made fully operational without delay.
The Zojila Tunnel is one of the country’s most significant mountain infrastructure projects and is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening connectivity, tourism, trade and strategic mobility in the region.
