Omar 'appeasing' Delhi: Mehbooba

Tunnel was completed in October last year but due to a terror attack the inauguration process was delayed

- Ashiq Hussain

SRINAGAR: The inauguration of the Z-Morh Tunnel at Sonamarg by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday has opened employment opportunities for people of upper Ganderbal, who would otherwise be cut off from the rest of Kashmir during the four winter months.

Besides providing strategic accessibility to defence forces, the round-the-year connectivity of the Srinagar-Leh national highway will be a gamechanger for residents of the area which is why many braved the sub-zero temperatures for hours to listen to Modi at the gathering.

An enthusiastic youngster, Mumtaz Awan, 24, said he left home early on Monday morning to attend Modi's rally. "With the tunnel's inauguration, the highway will be opened through the year and will bring in more employment opportunities. Otherwise, we would sit idle during winter," said Awan, who is associated with the tourism sector as he provides skiing and horse-riding facilities to visitors. "The tunnel will bring more tourists so hoteliers and others associated with the sector will benefit," he said.

Built at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the 6.5-km tunnel at Gagangir is located 10km ahead of the tourist resort of Sonamarg in central Kashmir. Another 14.15-km Zojila Tunnel, being constructed some distance away from Z-Morh, will make the strategic Srinagar-Sonamarg-Leh highway an all-weather road.

Noor Ahmad Kasana, a local labourer, said: "Now, all 12 months will be productive. We used to be isolated from the rest of the Valley in winter. Besides job opportunities, this will help in terms of patient care and connectivity."

Haji Wazir Mohammad, the chairman of the Labour and Pony Walla Association for Amarnath Yatra, said that the district would now benefit economically.