NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the 6.5 km long Z-Morh tunnel in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir that will make the Sonamarg tourist resort accessible throughout the year.
Along with the PM, Union surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and chief minister Omar Abdullah was also present there at the event.
Earlier called the Z-Morh tunnel due to its shape, the 6.4-km passage, now to be known as Sonamarg tunnel, is the first step towards the connectivity plan, with the next being the completion of the Zojila tunnel connecting Sonamarg in Kashmir with Drass in Ladakh.
The public rally following the inauguration of the tunnel saw striking bonhomie between PM Modi and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday. At the same time, to Abdullah’s prodding on the awaited return of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Modi refrained from giving a timeframe, saying “the right thing will happen at the right time”.
The 6.5 km long two-lane tunnel connecting Gagangir and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district was constructed at an expenditure exceeding ₹2,700 crore.
The tunnel also features a 7.5-metre-wide emergency escape passage.
Located at an altitude of more than 8,650 feet above sea level, the Z-Morh tunnel will significantly improve year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg, facilitating the route to Leh while bypassing the landslide-prone and avalanche-affected areas.
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