
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the 6.5-kilometer Z-Morh tunnel in the Ganderbal region of Central Kashmir, enabling year-round access to the Sonamarg tourist resort.
According to officials, the prime minister arrived at Srinagar airport at approximately 10.45 am and then travelled to Sonamarg to officially open the strategic tunnel, which is also significant from a defence standpoint. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari travelled to Srinagar for the occasion on Sunday.
Prime Minister Modi was joined at the inauguration by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Manoj Sinha. Over ₹2,700 crore was spent on the construction of the 6.5 km two-lane tunnel that connects Gagangir and Sonamarg in the Ganderbal district. Additionally, the tunnel has an emergency escape tube that is 7.5 meters wide.
The Z-Morh tunnel, which is more than 8,650 feet above sea level, will greatly enhance year-round communication between Srinagar and Sonamarg. It will also make it easier to travel to Leh while avoiding the avalanche and landslide-prone regions. The construction workers were also met by Prime Minister Modi, who was in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the assembly elections in September and October of last year.
This visit served as a testament to their perseverance and hard work in finishing this outstanding engineering project in spite of the difficult circumstances they encountered. After a soft opening in February 2024, the Z-Morh tunnel, which started construction in May 2015 and was finished in 2024, is now completely functional.
The Z-Morh tunnel will offer continuous connectivity to both the Zojila tunnel project and the Baltal and Ladakh regions, supporting both civilian and military traffic. With its cutting-edge technology, the Z-Morh tunnel sets a new standard for regional infrastructure and greatly improves the travel experience by providing real-time updates and ensuring uninterrupted communication.
It has been described as a revolutionary development for the region by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), which is in charge of the project. The Sonamarg Tunnel, which not only connects Gagangir and Sonamarg but also unleashes the region’s full potential for trade and tourism, was heralded as a breakthrough by NHIDCL.