Z-Morh Tunnel renamed after Sonamarg: 10 things to know about 6.4 km tunnel located at height of 8,500 feet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, January 13, inaugurated the Z-Morh tunnel in the Sonamarg area of Jammu and Kashmir. The Z-Morh has also been renamed Sonamarg Tunnel after the famous tourist place. After the inauguration of the ₹2,700 crore project, PM Modi went inside the Z-Morh tunnel and also interacted with the project officials. He also met the construction workers who worked amid harsh conditions to complete the tunnel.

Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah paid tributes to those killed in terror attack on Z-Morh Tunnel in October last year and said they gave their lives for the project and the country.

With the newly inaugurated Z-Morh Tunnel making headlines, here are 10 quick facts about the Sonamarg Tunnel:

1. The Sonamarg Tunnel or the Z-Morh Tunnel project is around 12 km long and comprises of (a) Sonamarg main tunnel of 6.4 km in length, (b) an egress tunnel, and (c) approach roads.
2. The Z-Morh Tunnel has been constructed at a cost of over ₹2,700 crore.
3. The tunnel is situated at an altitude of over 8,650 feet above sea level.
4. After its completion, the Sonamarg Tunnel will provide all-weather and year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg enroute to Leh.
5. This tunnel bypasses the routes prone to landslides and avalanches, ensuring safer and uninterrupted access to the strategically critical Ladakh region.
6. Along with the Zojila Tunnel, set for completion by 2028, it will reduce the route length from 49 km to 43 km and boost vehicle speed from 30 km/hr to 70 km/hr, ensuring seamless NH-1 connectivity between Srinagar Valley and Ladakh.
7. The 6.5 km-long two-lane bi-directional road tunnel is constructed between Gagangir and Sonamarg in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
8. The Sonamarg Tunnel is equipped with a parallel 7.5-metre escape passage for emergency-like situations.
9. The work on the Z-Morh Tunnel began in May 2015 and it was expected to be completed by 2016-17. The Z-Morh Tunnel took almost a decade for completion as the Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) stopped work in 2018 due to financial stress.
10. The foundation stone of the Z-Morh Tunnel project was laid in October 2012 by the then minister for surface transport CP Joshi.