Minimarg (Ladakh)

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday appealed to Union minister Nitin Gadkari to use his influence to launch direct air connectivity to Kargil.

Speaking at the breakthrough ceremony of the Zojila tunnel here, Abdullah congratulated the people of Ladakh for getting closer to the realisation of the dream of all-weather connectivity.

"I congratulate the people of Ladakh and thank Gadkari and his officers in the ministry for this breakthrough, which will bring us closer to the dream of all-weather connectivity,” Abdullah said.

The chief minister, however, said that while one dream of the people of Ladakh is close to getting fulfilled, another – that of direct and regular air connectivity to Kargil – is yet to take shape.

“Another dream needs to be realised, i.e., regular and direct air service to Kargil. I had tried but without any success. This is another long-standing demand of the people of Kargil,” he said.

In an appeal to Gadkari, the Union minister of road transport and highways, Abdullah said, “You are a dynamic person, and a doer. So I request you to please use your influence to help realise this aspiration as well. Improved air services and road connectivity would benefit the region greatly.”

He also said that many people had dreamt of this project but could not realise it.

The Zojila tunnel connecting the Kashmir Valley with Ladakh took a crucial step towards completion on Tuesday with a blast breaking through the last 2.5 metres of the high-altitude infrastructure project that cuts through the Himalayas.

Gadkari pressed the remote button, blasting the breakthrough site near the East Portal of the tunnel at Minimarg in Ladakh, in the presence of Abdullah and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

With this, the two ends of the world's longest single-tube bi-directional bypass, which will cut travel time to cross the high-altitude pass from 1.5 hours to 15 minutes, have now been connected, officials said.

The successful breakthrough marked the realisation of a long-cherished dream – year-round connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.

“For decades, people of the region faced immense hardships due to the closure of the Zojila Pass in winter. The tunnel would significantly improve the lives of residents by facilitating easier access to education, healthcare, tourism, trade and commerce,” Abdullah said.

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He also expressed hope that the remaining work on the project would be completed at the earliest so that the tunnel becomes fully operational.