MEIL Group has achieved the final breakthrough of the Zojila Tunnel in northern India.
At 13.2km long, the Zojila Tunnel is the world’s longest single-tube, bi-directional road tunnel at the highest altitude of nearly 3,520m.
The project is a major step forward in improving connectivity in one of the country’s most challenging regions.
Once operational, the tunnel will provide an all-weather road link between Srinagar and Ladakh, ensuring uninterrupted access throughout the year. For decades, heavy snowfall during winter restricted movement across the region.
The breakthrough comes after nearly six years of continuous work under difficult conditions. MEIL’s engineering teams worked through sub-zero temperatures, avalanche-prone areas, and complex geology. Using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), the teams excavated through 67 different geological rock formations.
The tunnel is 9.5m wide, and 7.57m in height.
MEIL dedicated the “monumental achievement” to its thousands of employees, engineers, technicians, and workers whose dedication transformed an ambitious vision into reality.
“Above all, this accomplishment belongs to the people of India – a symbol of progress, resilience, and the collective aspiration to connect every corner of the nation,” the company said.
