Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Sonamarg Tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. This tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg en route to Leh. During the visit, the Prime Minister will also meet the construction workers and acknowledge their contribution to this engineering feat. The Sonamarg Tunnel project, around 12 km long, has been constructed at a cost of over two thousand seven hundred crore rupees. It comprises the Sonamarg main tunnel, an egress tunnel, and approach roads.

The tunnel will ensure safer and uninterrupted access to the strategically critical Ladakh region by bypassing landslide- and avalanche-prone routes. It will also promote tourism by transforming Sonamarg into a year-round destination, boosting winter tourism, adventure sports, and local livelihoods. Along with the Zojila Tunnel, set for completion by 2028, it will reduce the route length from 49 kilometres to 43 kilometres. It will also boost vehicle speed from 30 kilometres per hour to 70 kilometres per hour, ensuring seamless connectivity between Srinagar Valley and Ladakh. This enhanced connectivity will boost defence logistics, drive economic growth, and promote socio-cultural integration across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Meanwhile, sharing a social media post of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Prime Minister said that the Chief Minister rightly pointed out the benefits of the project for tourism and the local economy.