Mr Gadkari visited the under-construction tunnel with Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.
Union Minister for Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today reviewed the ongoing work for the strategically important Zojila tunnel in Kashmir's Sonmarg that will provide all-weather connectivity to Ladakh.He termed the tunnel historic and said that the project is part of a dream to connect the Kashmir valley with Kanyakumari.
Construction of the Rs 4,900 crore 13-kilometre-long Zojila tunnel, Asia's longest, is expected to be completed by 2026.
The closure of the Srinagar-Ladakh highway during winter badly impacts the lives of both the civilian population and the army in the Union Territory. Once completed, the Zojila tunnel will be a game-changer for the region that has been witnessing a protracted standoff between the army and the Chinese military since June 2020.
The average travel time to cross the Zojila Pass is around three hours, however, after the completion of this tunnel it will be reduced to just 20 minutes, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said in a statement.
The Union minister also announced that the Z-Morh tunnel, which connects Gagangir with Sonamarg and provides all-weather connectivity to the resort in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, will be inaugurated in October this year.
"This is a historic and important tunnel in the history of India. The tunnel length is supposed to be the highest in Asia," Mr Gadkari told reporters after inspecting the work on the site at an altitude of over 11,500 feet.
At least 19 tunnels are being constructed at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir, mainly between the Nashri and Banihal section which is vulnerable to landslides, causing frequent closure of the road.
The 4-laning of the highway was supposed to be completed by 2016 but has jumped several deadlines and eventually recorded cost overrun.
Mr Gadkari paid a visit to the under-construction Zojila tunnel with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Mr Gadkari said the estimated cost of the project was Rs 12,000 crore, but, after discussions with experts and international consultants for a year, its cost was brought down by Rs 5,000 crore.
"This is the first time in the history of our country that we have a saving of Rs 5,000 crore as far as the estimated cost is concerned. This is a very difficult task, the people are working here in minus 26 degrees," he said.
He said the project once completed would develop tourism in the area.
"With the construction of this tunnel, tourism will increase by 2-3 times, and employment opportunities will also grow in Jammu and Kashmir," said Mr Gadkari as quoted by news agency ANI. "We will achieve connectivity between Kashmir to Kanniyakumari in the true sense."
"I have requested the Lt Governor and Jammu and Kashmir government to plan resorts, and adventure sports, and just like Switzerland, we can develop a lot of things here, he said.
Laying out a roadmap for connecting several cities across the country, Mr Gadkari said the tunnel is one of the important things of "our dream to connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari". This will be connectivity between north to south, he added.
He said former prime minister AB Vajpayee at the time of the Kargil war, visualised that we should have a good road between Ladakh and Srinagar.
"This is under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi that we have started this and we are hopeful that we will get this tunnel (completed) as early as possible," he said.
Asked about its significance in terms of defence forces on the Indo-China border, Gadkari said while he would not like to comment on the defence point of view, the project is very important because the previous war the country fought was Kargil, for which the tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity.
To a question on developing airstrips near the country's borders, the minister said the government is working on 29 road-cum-airstrip projects, out of which nine have been completed.
"Somewhere, we need permission from the airforce, it is in the process. At the time of emergency, we can use those," he said.