Overview
- Engineers achieved the final breakthrough on June 9, completing excavation of the roughly 13–14 km tunnel that links Baltal in Kashmir with Minamarg in Ladakh.
- Work now shifts to internal lining, deep-shaft finishing, drainage, electrical and SCADA systems plus firefighting and approach-road construction before the tunnel can open.
- The tunnel is being built by MEIL for NHIDCL at an estimated cost of about ₹6,800–6,810 crore and will be among the world’s longest single-tube, two-way road tunnels at this altitude.
- Design and safety features include use of the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, three deep vertical ventilation shafts (the longest about 474.3 m), cross-passages for evacuation and a 24/7 SCADA monitoring suite.
- The tunnel will provide year-round road access that cuts travel from hours to minutes, ease civilian travel and supplies, and improve military logistics by reducing reliance on costly airlifts to forward areas.