New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu and Kashmir on January 13 (Monday). He will visit the Sonamarg tunnel at around 11:45 am and then inaugurate it. Earlier, PM Modi said that I am eagerly waiting for my visit to Sonamarg for the inauguration of the tunnel. PM Modi has written this while reposting the post of Jammu and Kashmir on X. PM Narendra Modi will also address a public meeting on the occasion of the inauguration of the tunnel.
“I am eagerly looking forward to my visit to Sonamarg in Jammu and Kashmir for the inauguration of the tunnel,” PM Narendra Modi said on social media platform X on Sunday. He wrote this while reposting a post of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Omar Abdullah visited the tunnel on Saturday. He wrote in his post along with the pictures – “Visited Sonamarg today to review the preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit on Monday. With the inauguration of Z-Morh Tunnel, Sonamarg will be open for tourists throughout the year, Sonamarg will now develop as a great ski resort. Local people will not have to go out in winters and the travel time from Srinagar to Kargil/Leh will also be reduced.
I am eagerly awaiting my visit to Sonmarg, Jammu and Kashmir for the tunnel inauguration. You rightly point out the benefits for tourism and the local economy.
Also, loved the aerial pictures and videos! https://t.co/JCBT8Ei175
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 11, 2025
On this, PM Modi wrote – “I am eagerly waiting for my visit to Sonamarg in Jammu and Kashmir for the inauguration of the tunnel.” You are right about tourism and its benefits for the local economy. Also, loved the aerial photos and videos!”
The cost of the entire project is Rs 2,700 crore.
The entire project including this 12 km long tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir has cost more than Rs 2,700 crore. It includes the Sonamarg main tunnel, an exit tunnel and approach roads. Located at an altitude of 8,650 feet above sea level, this tunnel will facilitate all-season traffic between Srinagar and Sonamarg to Leh.
This tunnel will ensure safe and uninterrupted traffic to the Ladakh region by bypassing the routes prone to landslides and avalanches. Apart from this, it will promote tourism and help in making Sonamarg a year-round destination.
Tourists will be able to visit Sonamarg throughout the year
This tunnel will bypass the road from Gagangir to Sonamarg, which will facilitate tourists and local people to visit the hill station throughout the year. Gagangir-Sonmarg section remains closed due to heavy snowfall and avalanches. Z-Morh Tunnel is a 6.5 km long 2-lane road tunnel between Gagangir and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The road that was previously in use was affected by avalanches and was often closed for several months. But the Z-turn tunnel will keep Sonamarg tourist town connected in all seasons. It takes only 15 minutes to cross this 6.5 kilometer long tunnel, whereas traveling through the zigzag route up and down the hills would have taken hours. It is one of the 31 road tunnels, of which 20 are in Jammu and Kashmir and 11 in Ladakh.
There was a terrorist attack last year
The construction of this tunnel started in 2018. On 20 October 2024, there was a terrorist attack on the tunnel employees. Seven civilians, including six non-local workers of the infrastructure company building the Z-Morh tunnel, were killed in that attack. A local doctor was also killed in the attack.
Local people happy with construction of tunnel
Local people have expressed happiness over the inauguration of the tunnel. He told news agency IANS that the people of Kashmir will get a lot of benefits from the opening of this tunnel. Local resident Manzoor Ahmed said that this tunnel is very important. With its commencement, the road between Sonamarg and Ladakh will now remain open throughout the year. Ladakh has great importance because it is a border area. Earlier, goods were brought here through air service, but with the opening of the tunnel, goods can be sent through road.
He further said, “Sonamarg is a tourist area, the road here used to be closed due to disaster and snowfall. But now the construction of the tunnel will not only benefit economically but also in terms of tourism. We all will benefit from its construction. Happy and express gratitude to the government, which thought about the people here.”
Expressing his gratitude, he said, “PM Modi will inaugurate this tunnel on January 13 and I express my gratitude to Nitin Gadkari, who took a lot of steps for this project. We hope to see other such projects here in the coming times.” Will meet.”
During his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, PM Narendra Modi will also meet the construction workers who have carefully completed the construction of the tunnel under the most difficult conditions.
(from input agencies)
