GOVT NOD FOR ~68-BN ZOJILA TUNNEL IN J&K
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved the construction, operation, and maintenance of the twolane, bi-directional Zojila Tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh section in Jammu & Kashmir. The tunnel would provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh, and bring all-round economic and socio-cultural integration to these regions. The area is usually cut off for six months because of snow and avalanche threats. The project has strategic and socioeconomic importance and would be an instrument for the development of the economically backward districts in Jammu & Kashmir, an official statement said.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved the construction, operation and maintenance of two-lane, bi-directional Zojila Tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh section in Jammu and Kashmir.
The tunnel would provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh and bring all-round economic and socio-cultural integration to these regions. The area is usually cut off for six months because of snow and avalanche threats. The project has strategic and socio-economic importance and would be an instrument for the development of the economically backward districts in Jammu and Kashmir, an official statement said.
The construction period of the project would be seven years from the date of commencement of construction. The civil construction cost of the project is about ~49 billion. The capital cost of the project is ~68.08 billion, including the cost of land acquisition, resettlement & rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities, as well as the maintenance and operation costs of the tunnel for four years.
Infrastructure major IL&FS Transportation is likely to get the project as it has emerged as the lowest bidder.
Four companies had bid for the project and IL&FS quoted the lowest, which is 10.7 per cent lower than the bid amount the government had mentioned in the tender. The project will be built on the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode, in which the government will bear the cost and make payment during construction.
The project was earlier approved in 2013. Bids for the project were invited five times since April 2013. Single bids were received on four occasions, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari told reporters here.
The project aims to construct a 14.15km single tube tunnel with a parallel 14.2km egress tunnel, excluding approaches between Baltal & Minamarg, in J&K. The construction of approaches to the tunnel is being undertaken separately.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways through the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.