Z-Morh tunnel likely to be thrown open by Sep 15

Sonamarg, Aug 02:The work on the much-awaited 6.5 km Z-Morh Tunnel being constructed near the Gagangeer area on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Ganderbal district is nearing completion and is expected to be thrown open officially by September 15.

An official said that the work on the Z-Morh Tunnel coming up at a cost of Rs 2378 crore has almost been completed.

He said that the executing agency has written to the government to take over the tunnel, however, the approval and response from the government is awaited.

After completion of the tunnel, Sonamarg tourist destination would be accessible around the year for the visitors.

“Final touches are being provided to the tunnel along with installation of safety measures inside it,” a senior official of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) said. “We are ready with the tunnel and are expecting its inauguration by September 15.”

Officials said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari is expected to inaugurate the Z-Morh Tunnel.

They said that any official announcement in this regard is awaited.

The 6.5-km Z-Morh Tunnel is part of a strategic project and a first step towards ensuring round-the-year connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.

The Z-Morh Tunnel along with a 5-km approach road is a project worth Rs 2378 crore.

The tunnel is a bi-directional one along with an escape tunnel for any eventuality.

The Z-Morh Tunnel is being developed by APCO Amarnathji Tunnelway Pvt Ltd.

The work on the Z-Morh, which is part of Srinagar Sonamarg Tunnelway (SST), was halted for two years between 2017 and 2019 due to a financial crunch faced by the then main executing agency Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) that later abandoned the work.

The government had to invite bids for the second time for the project on June 24, 2019, with a TPC of Rs 2378.76 crore on a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) annuity basis.