Overview
- The tunnel reached its final excavation breakthrough on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, when Union minister Nitin Gadkari triggered a ceremonial blast that linked the Baltal and Meenamarg faces.
- The main bore is a 13.153 km single‑tube, two‑lane bi‑directional roadway built at about 11,578 feet and officials say roughly 80–85% of the total project is complete.
- With excavation over, crews will move to concrete lining, road surfacing and installation of ventilation, lighting and electro‑mechanical safety systems before public use is allowed.
- The project uses the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, includes three deep vertical shafts for ventilation and emergencies, and is part of a roughly 30–31 km corridor that includes Nilgrar approach tunnels, snow galleries and bridges.
- Once commissioned, the tunnel will cut travel across Zojila to about 15–20 minutes, provide year‑round access for residents and tourists, and strengthen troop mobility and logistics to Ladakh.