NEW DELHI, June 11:
The Government has invited fresh bids for construction of 14.15-km long tunnel across Zojila Pass for all-year connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories.
The tunnel project, stalled for about six years, holds strategic significance as Zojila Pass is situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway and remains closed during winters due to heavy snowfall.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways through National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) invited bid … For “construction of 14.15 km long tunnel across Zojila Pass on Sonamarg-Kargil section of NH-1 between Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh along with approaches” through an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract.
The Zojila tunnel project and a road both will be built under EPC mode at an estimated cost of Rs 4,430 crore, as per officials.
Earlier Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had said that the tunnel for all-year connectivity between Leh and Srinagar may undergo some design changes to prevent cost escalation as the Government plans to complete the project at the earlier estimated cost of about Rs 6,800 crore.
“We are planning to make some design changes that may include doing away with escape tunnel and instead (have) alternative tunnels to cross from one side to the other as it will be my endeavour to prevent cost escalation and build it at the previous estimated cost of Rs 6,800 crore,” he had said.
Though the revised project cost estimate of a little over Rs 8,000 crore has been sent to the Cabinet, “we are deliberating on minor design changes to prevent cost escalation,” the Minister had said.
“Besides the escape tunnel, we can do away with vertical shafts not compromising with safety,” he had said, adding that rebidding for the project was expected in a month or two. (PTI)
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