Strategic, all-weather Zojila Tunnel between Kashmir and Kargil to see final breakthrough

📌 Summary:

• India's strategic, all-weather Zojila Tunnel will witness its final breakthrough on June 9, 2026, with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari overseeing the final blasting from the Kargil side
• The 13.14 km tunnel cuts through the Himalayas at an altitude of 11,578 feet, connecting the Kashmir valley with Ladakh's Kargil; it lies in the volatile seismic zone IV
• It will, for the first time, allow security forces to ferry goods, machines and stocks to high-altitude Ladakh bases during peak winter
• Earlier, supplies for soldiers on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) had to be stocked during early autumn before the passes closed

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 (internal security – border infrastructure and military logistics; disaster vulnerability in seismic zones) and GS3 (economy – Himalayan connectivity infrastructure).

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Zojila Tunnel: 13.14 km long, at 11,578 ft altitude, in seismic zone IV, connecting Kashmir valley with Kargil (Ladakh)
• It provides all-weather connectivity to Ladakh, bypassing the snow-bound Zojila pass
• Final blasting overseen by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport & Highways)

🔑 Key Term: All-weather connectivity – road/tunnel infrastructure usable year-round irrespective of snow or landslides, critical for forward military logistics along the LAC.