Modi opens key Z-Morh tunnel in J&K infra push

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he will keep the promises he made to the people of Jammu & Kashmir as he opened a strategic 6.4-km tunnel in Sonamarg that will bolster defence accessibility and boost tourism by providing an all-weather link between the tourism hub and Srinagar.

- Ashiq Hussain

Modi's comments came at a public rally after the inauguration of the Z-Morh or Sonamarg tunnel, minutes after chief minister Omar Abdullah lavished praise on him and reminded him of the promise to restore the Union territory's statehood.

"You have to believe that this is Modi and he keeps his promises... There is a right time for everything and right things will happen at the right time," Modi said without making a direct reference to the issue of statehood or Abdullah's comment.

Built at an altitude of 8,500 feet, Z-Morh tunnel - named such after the treacherous Z-shaped mountain pass - at Gagangir in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, is located 10km ahead of the tourist resort of Sonamarg. Besides providing strategic accessibility to defence forces, it will connect Sonamarg with capital Srinagar all year round, will boost the economy, and bring more tourists. Another 14.15-km Zoji La Tunnel, being constructed 18 kilometres away from Z-Morh, will make the strategic Srinagar-Sonamarg-Leh highway an allweather road.

"This tunnel will make the lives of people of Sonamarg and also those of Kargil and Leh easier. Earlier avalanches would close roads. People would find it difficult to reach hospitals and get essentials," the Prime Minister said.

"The work on this tunnel was actually started in 2015 after the BJP came to power. I'm happy that this tunnel has been completed during our government's tenure. This tunnel will bring various tourism opportunities to Sonamarg," he added.

The Z-Morh tunnel was constructed at a cost of ₹2,700 crores. It is equipped with an intelligent traffic management system, and includes a main tunnel, a parallel escape tunnel, and a ventilation tunnel. The tunnel was completed in October last year, but a terror strike on the campsite of the tunnel in Gagangir left seven people dead.