Security officials near the Z-Morh tunnel ahead of its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Ganderbal district, J&K, on January 13, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Janauary 13, 2025) inagurated the Z-Morh tunnel in J&K’s Sonamarg.

After inaugurating the project, the Prime Minister went inside the tunnel and interacted with the project officials. He also met the construction workers who worked meticulously amid harsh conditions to complete the tunnel.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were also present at the inauguration.

Mr. Modi landed at the Srinagar airport at around 10.45 a.m and went to Sonamarg for the inauguration of the strategic tunnel that is important from the defence perspective as well, officials said.

Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari reached Srinagar on Sunday (January 12, 2025) for the function.

The two-lane bi-directional road tunnel between Gagangir and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district in central Kashmir has been built at a cost of over ₹2,700 crore.

It is equipped with a parallel 7.5-metre-wide escape passage for emergencies.

Situated at an altitude of over 8,650 feet above sea level, the tunnel will enhance all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg en route to Leh, bypassing landslide and avalanche routes.

Mr. Modi, who is on his first visit to J-K post the conduct of the assembly elections in September-October last year, is scheduled to meet the construction workers who have worked meticulously amid harsh conditions in an acknowledgement of their contribution to this engineering feat.