Jammu and Kashmir will get full statehood, Omar Abdullah said, referring to PM Modi's promise.

Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a big gift to Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. He has inaugurated the strategically important 6.5 km long Z-Morh tunnel in Sonamarg area of ​​Jammu and Kashmir. During this, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari were also present.

Addressing the gathering after the inauguration of the tunnel in Sonamarg, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conducting elections in a safe and fair environment in Jammu and Kashmir. CM Omar Abdullah said, “You conducted the elections in a fair and free manner.”

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that those spreading violence in the region will always face defeat and such people will not be allowed to cause any harm to democracy. CM Abdullah paid tribute to 7 people, including a local doctor, who lost their lives in the terrorist attack on tunnel construction workers last year, saying that they have sacrificed their lives for the development of the country and Jammu and Kashmir.

Promise to give former state status on the occasion of Yoga Day

CM Abdullah said that people ask, “When will Jammu and Kashmir get statehood, then I answer that I am sure that the promise made by Prime Minister Modi on the occasion of Yoga Day to give statehood here will be fulfilled.” do.” In his address, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also remembered the people who sacrificed their lives in the Gagangir attack.

Foundation stone laid in 2012

The foundation stone of the Z-Mod tunnel project was laid in October 2012 by the then Transport Minister C.P. Joshi in the presence of his then cabinet colleague Farooq Abdullah, then Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

Along with the Zojila Tunnel, the Z-Morh Tunnel will reduce the distance between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh from 49 km to 43 km and vehicles will now be able to run at a speed of 70 km per hour instead of 30 km per hour. The construction of Zojila Tunnel is targeted to be completed in 2028.

Work was stopped in 2018

Work on the Z-Morh tunnel began in May 2015 and was expected to be completed by 2016–17. However, its work was completed in almost a decade. This is because 'Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services', the initial company working on this project, had stopped work in 2018 due to financial crisis.

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By this, the contract for this project was again invited in 2019 and in January 2020, the work of this project was handed over to the lowest bidder 'APCO Infratech'. Now its work is complete.