In a major achievement Hyderabad based Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) has completed 5-km-long tunnelling work as part of the 18-km-long all-weather Zojila Tunnel in a span of 14 months.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd’s project being executed by the MEIL which intends to ensure connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh all the year around. As per reports, Zojilla Tunnels – Nilgrar 1, 2, and Zojila main tunnel are being efficiently executed despite unfavourable weather conditions like snowfall and blizzard at an altitude of 11575 feet above sea level.
Zojila Tunnel Project Head, Harpal Singh said that their MEIL team has been working on this project in toughest conditions with complete efficiency and hardwork.
MEIL said that efforts have been appreciated by the Union Minister for Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari for working on this project in a speedy manner and minister had said that this project would improve socio-economic conditions, transport, and tourism of J&K and Ladakh.
Zojila Pass is the strategic link connecting the Leh-Ladakh region to Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir, and with the rest of India. The region however does not have all-weather connectivity, especially to Leh. The project consists of three tunnels, four bridges, snow protection structures, culverts, catch dam, deflector dam, cut and cover tunnel, and many such engineering feats.