Context

• The 434-km strategic Srinagar-Leh National Highway, connecting the Kashmir Valley with the Ladakh region, was thrown open for traffic after being closed due to heavy snowfall.
• Zoji La Pass, connects the picturesque Kashmir Valley with the cold Indus valley desert through this 434-km long Srinagar-Leh road. Border Road Organisation is involved in the snow clearance operation.

About

Zoji La pass:

• It is a high mountain pass in Jammu and Kashmir, located on National Highway 1 connecting Srinagar in Kashmir Valley to Leh in Ladakh region.
• It runs at an elevation of approximately 3,528 metres (11,575 ft), and is the second highest pass after Fotu La on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway.
• Every year due to heavy snowfall, vehicle flow stops for 4 months during winter from December to April.
• During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, it was seized by Pakistani supported invaders in 1948 in their campaign to capture Ladakh. The pass was re-captured by Indian forces on 1 November in an assault codenamed Operation Bison, which achieved success primarily due to the surprise use of tanks, then the highest altitude at which tanks had operated in combat in the world.

Zoji La Tunnel:

• It is a 14.2 km long road tunnel under Zoji La pass on the Himalayas between Sonmarg and Dras town of Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. It is currently under construction.
• The project was approved by the government of India in January 2018 and the construction commenced from May 2018. The construction period is 5 years.
• The tunnel along with 6.5 km long Z-Morh Tunnel, (which is 22 km before Zoji La tunnel towards Srinagar) will ensure year-long road connectivity between Srinagar and Leh which currently remains closed for about 4 months due to heavy snowfall on the Zoji La pass.
• It takes more than 3 hours to cross the pass but the tunnel will reduce the time to only 15 minutes. This tunnel was a strategic requirement of the army and the Ladakhi people as the pass is close to LOC and vulnerable to hostile actions by terrorists.
• Once built, this will be the longest bi-directional road tunnel in Asia.