Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Z-Morh tunnel in Sonamarg. The 6.4-km tunnel worth over Rs 2,700 crore on the Srinagar-Leh highway will keep Sonamarg open to tourists round the year and is also touted as a major milestone to connect the Kashmir valley with Ladakh.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, LG Manoj Sinha and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari were also present.

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Elaborate security arrangements were put in place, with the PM’s security team having taken over the venue of the event at the strategically important Z-Morh or Sonamarg tunnel in Ganderbal district.

The work on the project began in May 2015 and was completed last year, with its soft opening done in February 2024.

The tunnel is vital in terms of the defence needs of the country in the Ladakh region, close to the China border, and also connecting the youngest Union Territory to the rest of the country. The Z-Morh or Sonamarg tunnel is situated at an altitude of 8,650 feet and is 12-kilometre long. It comprises the Sonamarg main tunnel of 6.4 km length, an egress tunnel and approach roads. Z-Morh tunnel is a two-lane road tunnel equipped with a parallel 7.5-metre-wide escape passage for emergencies.

It is expected to enhance all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg enroute to Leh, bypassing landslide and avalanche routes and ensuring safer and uninterrupted access to the strategically critical Ladakh region.

The road to Sonamarg was rendered impassable during snowfall and severe winters due to the construction of the Z-morh tunnel in an avalanche-prone location. Because Sonamarg used to be closed during periods of severe snowfall, the tunnel is key to the region’s tourism industry.