Zojila tunnel

Long pending wait for the Zojila tunnel to become a reality has frustrated the people of Ladakh and Kargil. They have been waiting for decades to get this tunnel so that they can come out from being locked virtually for more than six months every year due to the closure of Srinagar-Leh road.

Their frustration has now reached to State High Court one of the residents Muhammad Ismail has asked the Court in his PIL to see to it that the work on Zojila tunnel is started without any further delay and has urged the Court to look into the miseries the people of Ladakh are facing due to lack of this tunnel

Residents of Ladakh were forced to move to the State High Court seeking directions for the construction of this tunnel as promised to the people of this region by successive governments since 1960. Court has given notice recently to both State and Central Governments along with National Highway Development Corporation Limited (NHDCL), to provide status of the construction of Zojila tunnel.

Due to the lack of tunnel, Ladakh region remains cut off for more than seven months starting from October-November to May. Due to this blockade of Ladakh region the people of Kargil and Leh are forced to face lot of hardships and they feel that even in the year 2019, it may be a washout of another working season for the start of work on this important lifeline to this region.

The petition is seeking directions from State High Court to the government to complete the tunnel construction on priority and clear all the documentary works before the month of April 2019 so that during the short season of summers, the work starts. Due to heavy snowfall, as a matter of routine Zojila tunnel remains closed as Sonamarg and adjacent areas remain under the heavy snow for more than six months.