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J&K CM Omar Abdullah and BJP minister take chopper ride together for Z-Morh tunnel opening
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Z-morh tunnel in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district in the presence of Abdullah and Lt.Gov Manoj Sinha.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and Union minister Jitendra Singh took a chopper ride together on Monday to Sonamarg to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inauguration of the 6.5-kilometer-long Z-Morh tunnel.
“Through the glaciers, a scenic heli-flight from Srinagar to Sonamarg. Accompanied by CM Jammu and Kashmir Sh. Omar Abdullah ji, enroute to the venue of inauguration of the landmark Z-Morh Tunnel by PM Sh. Narendra Modi ji,” said Singh in a post on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the tunnel in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Monday in the presence of Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The all-weather tunnel makes travel to Sonamarg easier, even during harsh winters.
“The inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel will open Sonamarg to tourism all year round, Sonamarg will now be developed as a great ski resort. The local population will not have to leave in winter & the travel time to Kargil/Leh from Srinagar will also reduce,” Abdullah had said about the tunnel.
“Over the next five years, we will make full efforts to develop Sonamarg as a winter sports destination, just like we have developed Gulmarg. If more tourists come here, it will mean more earnings for the local people, whether they are ski guides, ski instructors, sledge operators, ATV and snowmobile operators, or small businesses like restaurants and dhabas,” news agency PTI quoted Abdullah as saying.
Also read | Z-Morh tunnel in J&K to boost Ladakh connectivity year-round | Key features
Z-Morh tunnel
The tunnel, built at a cost of ₹2,400 crore on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, will make the Ladakh region more accessible by road throughout the year. Construction took nine years, and its soft opening was in February 2024.
Officials also said the tunnel will be a crucial to the needs of the armed forces to enable quick movement of personnel and material to the strategic and restive Line of Actual Control (LAC) bordering China in the Ladakh union territory.
