Context: The Prime Minister of India inaugurated the Z-Morh tunnel in Sonmarg area of the UT Jammu and Kashmir.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Location based questions in Prelims.
About Z-Morh Tunnel
- Z-Morh tunnel is situated between Gagangir and Sonamarg in Jammu & Kashmir.
- The 6.5 km long tunnel provides a year-round alternative to the Zojila Pass (Zojila Pass connects Srinagar and Leh).
- Purpose:
- Connectivity: The tunnel will facilitate tourism, trade, and military logistics in the region.
- Strategic importance: Together with the adjacent Zoji-La Tunnel, this geostrategically important tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh national highway provides year-round all-weather connectivity to Baltal (Amarnath cave), Kargil and other places in Ladakh.
About Zojila Tunnel Project
- The Zojila Tunnel is a 13.14 km-long, all-weather tunnel connecting Srinagar and Leh, bypassing the Zojila Pass.
- It ensures year-round connectivity, boosts tourism, enhances military logistics, and reduces travel time from 3 hours to 15 minutes.
- It fosters regional development despite challenging high-altitude construction conditions and is expected to be completed by 2026.