Engineers achieve breakthrough on first tunnel of Zoji La project

Engineers have achieved a breakthrough on the first of the two minor tunnels located at Nilgrar, near Sonamarg, which are part of the Zoji La tunnel project that seeks to connect Jammu & Kashmir with Ladakh through all-weather roads.

Engineers battled inclement weather and tough terrain to complete the boring work on the twin-tube tunnel at Nilgrar-I, which is located on the approach road to the west portal of the Zoji La Tunnel.

“Daylight streamed into the 448-meter-long Tube 1 of Nilgrar-I on November 4, while the 472-meter-long Tube 2 saw daylight on November 22,” a spokesperson for Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited, which is executing the project, said.

The work on the project had begun in May this year with the construction of access roads and tunnelling through the Himalayan mountain ranges.

Engineers are working on drilling through the mountains for the twin-tube Nilgrar-II tunnel, which is two km long, and a breakthrough is expected in April next year.

“Works at Zojila Main Tunnel, which is 13.3 Km long, are also in full swing. Engineers have achieved 600 meters advance from Ladakh side, and 300 meters advance from Kashmir side,” the MEIL spokesperson said, adding that the project is expected to be completed by September 2026.

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