A senior official from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) announced that Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, will participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for the strategically vital Zojila Tunnel on June 9. This 13.15-kilometer tunnel, constructed by cutting through the Zojila Pass on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, will connect Baltal in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir to Meenamarg in the Kargil district of Ladakh, significantly reducing travel time from over three hours to just 15 minutes. The total approved cost for this project is ₹6,808.69 crores.

When questioned about whether the entire road project, including access routes and ventilation systems, would be operational before the February 2028 deadline announced by Gadkari last year, the official declined to provide further details. This event follows the inauguration of the Z-Morh Tunnel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2025. Both tunnels are crucial for India's ambitious all-weather connectivity plan between Srinagar and Leh, enhancing military mobility and logistical support for forces stationed in Ladakh, as well as boosting tourism.

Once completed, the Zojila Tunnel will be the longest road tunnel in India and the longest bi-directional tunnel in Asia, situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet. Its strategic importance cannot be overstated, as it will facilitate the swift movement of troops and supplies in border areas near the Line of Control and the Actual Line of Control. However, the project's completion timeline has been delayed due to the pandemic, terrorist attacks on the nearby Z-Morh Tunnel project, and adverse weather conditions.

Previously, in May 2018, Modi laid the foundation stone for this project when the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) was awarded the contract, which was later canceled in January 2019 due to the company's financial crisis. Gadkari sent the project for review by a panel of experts, and after the report was approved in May 2020, tenders were invited in June 2020.