Light at the end of the tunnel: Work on Zojila project to start on Thursday

Once up and ready, the 14.15 km stretch will be will be the longest bi-directional road tunnel in Asia

Approved by the Centre in January 2016, the 14.15 km Zojila Tunnel will be the longest bi-directional road tunnel in Asia. Its construction period is estimated to be about five years because of the tough terrain in which the temperature drops to 45 degrees below zero in some areas. Here are some interesting facts and figures about this upcoming piece of infrastructure:

• Gadkari to initiate the first blasting at 14.15 Km Zojila Tunnel on Thursday
• Tunnel will ensure all-weather connectivity between Srinagar valley and Leh on NH-1 with approach Road to Z-morh Tunnel and Avalanche protection structures
• The project involves construction of a 14.15 Km long tunnel at an altitude of about 3000 metres under Zojila pass (presently motorable only for 6 months in a year) on NH-1 connecting Srinagar and Leh through Dras & Kargil
• The project was first conceived in 2005 and its Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared by the Border Roads Organization in year 2013 on BOT (Annuity) mode
• Attempts to award the project four times were not successful and was eventually given to National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) in July 2016 for implementation on EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) mode
• The project was awarded to M/s. ITNL (IL&FS) in July 2017
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone at Leh and commenced the work on May 19, 2018
• The work progressed up to July 2019, and thereafter M/s. IL&FS went into financial problems and the project was stuck. The contract was terminated on January 15, 2019
• In February 2020, Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road transport & Highways, reviewed the project and in order to reduce the cost and to execute the languishing project on priority, referred the matter to an expert group under the Chairmanship of I.K Pandey, DG (RD) & SS, MoRTH
• The Expert group suggested modalities of project configuration and implementation, to achieve project completion in least possible time and cost
• After due consultation with tunnel experts and other stakeholders, the expert group submitted its report on May 17, 2020, which was approved by the Road Minister, on May 23, 2020
• Consequent to approval, NHIDCL invited the bids on June 10, 2020
• Consequent upon Technical qualification of all three bidders, financial bids were opened on August 21, 2020 and M/s. Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited was awarded the work for its quoted rate of Rs 4509.50 crore, and the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) was issued on August 25, 2020
• The capital cost of approach road from Zojila Tunnel to Z-Morh tunnel (18.63 Km) to make the road all weather was worked out to be Rs 2335 crore as per the detailed project report
• The construction cost of Zojila tunnel was earlier worked out at Rs 6575.85 crore and after considering the escalation @ 5% per annum and the total capital cost of the project as Rs 8308 crore by NHIDCL
• The total integrated cost of the project including Zojila tunnel and approaches upto Z- Morh tunnel works out to Rs 10,643 crore
• Compared to the present cost of the integrated project, based on the tender received at Rs 4509.5 crore, the total capital cost of the project would be Rs 6808.63 crore
• Thus, the re-modelling of the project resulted in an anticipated saving of Rs 3835 crore besides resolving the issue of muck disposal to a great extent