Inauguration of Tunnel: SPG Team Arrives Today Prior to PM Modi's Visit to Kashmir on January 13

Srinagar, January 9 (NationPress) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for his upcoming visit to Jammu and Kashmir on January 13 to ceremonially open the Z-Morh tunnel located in the Ganderbal district, a delegation from the Special Protection Group (SPG) is scheduled to arrive here on Thursday.

This SPG team will conduct a reconnaissance of the inauguration site for the Z-Morh tunnel and will assume control of the innermost protection layer of the VVIP security arrangement.

During the inauguration, PM Modi will also hold a public meeting at the site.

Among those attending will be Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the Lt. Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, marking the event that aims to transform Sonamarg into a year-round tourist destination.

The tunnel will provide a bypass for the route from Gagangir to Sonamarg. Previously, this road segment was susceptible to avalanches and severe snowfall, hindering winter tourism in Sonamarg, often referred to as the Golden Meadow.

CM Omar Abdullah emphasized that the Z-Morh tunnel would significantly enhance winter tourism in Kashmir.

Spanning 6.5 km, the Z-Morh Tunnel is a dual-lane road tunnel connecting Gagangir and Sonamarg along the Srinagar-Leh National Highway. This infrastructure will ensure all-weather access to Sonamarg.

Once the Zojila tunnel, currently under construction across the Zojila Pass, is operational, the Srinagar-Leh Highway will become a reliable all-weather route, facilitating year-round travel to the Ladakh region.

Constructed at an investment of Rs 2,400 crore, the tunnel project was awarded on a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis, encompassing construction, operation, and maintenance.

The appointed developer will manage the tunnel for a maintenance period of 15 years from the completion date. The tunnel boasts a width of 10 meters, alongside a 7.5-meter-wide parallel escape tunnel, which will serve both emergency situations and as a railway tunnel. It is designed to accommodate a flow of 1,000 vehicles per hour, maintaining a maximum speed limit of 80 km/h. The tunnel is situated at an elevation of 8,652 feet.

Construction of the tunnel commenced in 2018.

Last year, the tunnel project was targeted by militants. On October 20, 2024, two terrorists—one foreign mercenary and one local operative of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—assaulted the workers' camp at Gagangir, resulting in the deaths of seven civilians, comprising six non-local workers from the infrastructure firm and a local physician.