NEW DELHI: A world-class Switzerland-like Hill Station is being planned at a location near Zojila, between Zojila Tunnel in Ladakh and Z-Morh tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir.This was disclosed here today by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and the Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises at a meeting to review this prestigious project, which is possibly the first of its kind in India.Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh also attended the meeting. Senior officers of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways were present and briefed the Ministers about the plan. Army Engineer-in-Chief Lt Gen Harpal Singh, Dir Gen BRO Lt Gen Rajiv Choudhary and leading Architects/Designers of India including Hafeez Contractor, Krishna Reddy of Megha Engineering and others gave their inputs.As per the plan, it will be a unique resort which will come up in the area that witnesses high snowfall. This picturesque landscape between the 18 Kilometer stretch of Zojila Tunnel in Ladakh and Z-Morh Tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir will be developed at a destination, more attractive than many of the Switzerland destinations including Davos, a town in the Swiss Alps which is a popular Ski-resort and hosts the annual World Economic Forum meeting.Dr. Jitendra Singh later told the media that the township planned around Zojila will have certain exclusive features, not found even in many of the Swiss destinations. For example, it will be located at one of the highest altitudes in the world and have the scenic combination of the best of Ladakh on the one side and the best of Kashmir on the other side.Meanwhile, the work of Srinagar-Leh Zojila Tunnel, which was conceived nearly 15 years ago, has finally begun after the first ceremonial blast was carried out by Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways in the presence of Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on 15th of October this year. One of the most challenging projects, it is being targeted to be completed in over three years and to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The formal ceremony of commencement of work on the Zojila Tunnel project was done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Ladakh. Likely to be Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel being 14.15 Kms, the tunnel has strategic significance as the Zojila Pass is located at an altitude of 11,578 feet and during winters, it remains closed due to heavy snowfall, thereby cutting off Ladakh from Jammu & Kashmir. The tunnel will, therefore, provide all-weather road connectivity for Ladakh with Jammu & Kashmir and the rest of India.
