NHIDCL carries out ceremonial blast
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, June 16: Inching towards the all-weather connectivity to Sonamarg Valley, one of the two tubes of the Z-Morh Tunnel Project was today thrown open near Gangangir in district Ganderbal.
The tube of the parallel escape tunnel was cleared while it is still in the need of minor repairs even though the major portion of the work has been carried out and completed.
Officials said that while the minor works are still being carried out, it is a breakthrough that has been achieved while the rest of the work is also currently in full swing and is expected to be completed within the scheduled timeframe.
The Z-Morh tunnel project-worth Rs. 2,379 crores-is going to be a two-lane bi-directional road tunnel between Gagangir and Sonmarg with a length of 6.5 km.
As per details, the main tunnel is 10 m wide with the 7.5 m wide parallel escape tunnel to be used both in an emergency which was cleared today.
The officials also said that by November or December the escape tunnel will be thrown open for the restricted movement of the vehicles, particularly in case of emergency.
In this regard, the ceremonial blast for the breakthrough was done by Gurjeet Kambo, Executive Director (Projects), Regional Office Srinagar, NHIDCL.
Kambo appreciated the efforts of APCO Infratech, the concessionaire, on yet another milestone achieved while congratulating the people of Sonamarg and the District Administration.
He also acknowledged the role of the local public for the smooth progress of the project and assured the breakthrough of the main tunnel will also take place within the scheduled time frame.
It was also reiterated by Kambo that once the project is completed, the tunnel will provide seamless connectivity to the tourists travelling to Sonamarg during winters and will also be used for strategic movement.
Notably, the tunnel-located at the height of 8,652 ft above sea level-has been efficiently structured and designed to make the flow of 1000 vehicles per hour at a speed of around 80 km per hour.
Officials said that in the absence of the tunnel, the road is vulnerable to avalanches which then compels the authorities to close down the road for over seven months of the year.
“The tunnel, along with the Zoji-La Tunnel, located 22 km southeast towards Leh, will ensure the all-weather connection between Srinagar and Kargil,” the officials said.
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