After remaining halted for more than a year, the construction work on the much awaited 6.5 km long Z-Morh tunnel in Ganderbal district resumed on Wednesday.
The development comes amid the ongoing tensions on the India-China border in Ladakh. The tunnel, being constructed on Srinagar-Leh highway near Gagangeer area of Sonamarg, is part of a mega project announced by Government of India to ensure undisrupted all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.
The resumption of the work was officially launched by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P K Pole, in presence of Deputy commissioner Ganderbal Shafqat Iqbal, Managing Director NHDCL and officials of the APCO construction company.
Talking to the Greater Kashmir, Deputy commissioner Ganderbal Shafqat Iqbal said that the work which was suspended due to some issues had commenced now and hopefully the construction work will be completed in time.
Project Manager, APCO construction company, R K Jha told the Greater Kashmir that the work from the west portal of the tunnel has resumed from Wednesday.
The work on the tunnel was on halt since July last year due to the financial crunch faced by the then executing agency IL&FS that later abandoned the work.
The project was earlier allotted to Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS), but the contractor abandoned it after IL&FS Group faced a financial crisis.
The government had to invite bids for the second time for the project on June 24, 2019 with a TPC of Rs 2,378.76 crore on BOT – build operate transfer – (Annuity) basis.
The government later awarded it to APCO Amarnathji Tunnelway Pvt Ltd to be built at a cost of Rs 2,379 crore.