Zojila Tunnel

Zo Ji La Tunnel

The Zojila Tunnel is a major road tunnel being constructed beneath the Zoji La Pass, a high-altitude mountain pass on the Srinagar–Leh highway (NH-1). The tunnel is designed to provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, allowing vehicles to travel throughout the year, even during heavy winter snowfall when the pass is often closed.

Zojila Tunnel Project

The strategically significant Zojila Tunnel project has reached a major milestone with the successful final breakthrough connecting both ends of the tunnel beneath the Zojila Pass. This achievement marks a significant step toward establishing seamless, all-weather road connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.

Zojila Tunnel Overview

Once operational, the approximately 13–14 km long tunnel will drastically reduce travel time across the Zojila sector from several hours to around 15–20 minutes while ensuring year-round access, even during harsh winter months when heavy snowfall traditionally closes the pass.

Leh Ladakh Weather

Leh Ladakh

7:55 am, Jun 24, 2026

9°C

few clouds

Humidity: 44 %

Pressure: 1013 mb

Wind: 5 mph

Wind Gust: 4 mph

Clouds: 23%

Visibility: 10 km

Sunrise: 5:08 am

Sunset: 7:34 pm

• Temperature
• Rain Chance
• Wind

8:30 am

10°/10°°C 0 mm 0% 4 mph 40% 1013 mb 0 mm/h

11:30 am

11°/13°°C 0 mm 0% 3 mph 37% 1012 mb 0 mm/h

2:30 pm

13°/15°°C 0 mm 0% 6 mph 31% 1009 mb 0 mm/h

5:30 pm

15°/15°°C 0 mm 0% 9 mph 24% 1006 mb 0 mm/h

8:30 pm

14°/14°°C 0 mm 0% 8 mph 27% 1008 mb 0 mm/h

11:30 pm

12°/12°°C 0 mm 0% 9 mph 32% 1011 mb 0 mm/h

2:30 am

10°/10°°C 0 mm 0% 9 mph 35% 1012 mb 0 mm/h

5:30 am

8°/8°°C 0 mm 0% 8 mph 37% 1015 mb 0 mm/h

Weather from OpenWeatherMap

The tunnel is expected to transform transportation, tourism, trade, and emergency services across the region. It will also strengthen strategic connectivity to Ladakh, providing a reliable route for civilian movement and logistical operations throughout the year. Officials have described the breakthrough as a historic infrastructure achievement that will accelerate economic growth and regional development in the Himalayas.

Key Highlights

• 🚗 Travel between Sonamarg and Drass will become significantly faster.
• ❄️ Eliminates dependence on the snow-prone Zojila Pass during winter.
• 🏔️ Enhances connectivity to the remote regions of Kargil and Leh.
• 📈 Expected to boost tourism and local businesses across Ladakh.
• 🛡️ Strengthens strategic and defense mobility along the northern frontier.
• 🌍 Considered one of India’s most ambitious mountain infrastructure projects.

Located on the vital Srinagar–Leh highway corridor, the Zojila Tunnel is set to become one of India’s most important mountain infrastructure projects, enhancing accessibility to Ladakh while reducing the challenges posed by extreme weather and difficult terrain.

The Zojila Tunnel is located on the Srinagar–Leh National Highway (NH-1) and forms a crucial link between Kashmir and Ladakh.

Route Map

Srinagar → Ganderbal → Sonamarg → Zojila Tunnel → Minamarg → Drass → Kargil → Mulbekh → Lamayuru → Nimmu → Leh

Distance Overview

Major Places Along the Route

1. Srinagar
2. Ganderbal
3. Sonamarg
4. Zojila Tunnel
5. Minamarg
6. Drass
7. Kargil
8. Lamayuru
9. Nimmu
10. Leh

Did You Know?

The Zojila Tunnel is expected to be the world’s longest single-tube bi-directional road tunnel at such a high altitude, making it a landmark engineering achievement in the Himalayas.