Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari visited Zojila Tunnel Eastern Portal and inspected the pace of ongoing construction work on September 28. 
 
Union MoS for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation, General (Retired) Dr V.K Singh were also present.
 
Lieutenant Governor Ladakh, R.K Mathur and Chairman/CEC, LAHDC, Kargil Feroz Ahmad Khan in presence of the senior officers of UT Administration and officers of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) received the minister.
 
Minister Nitin Gadkari said that work on the project is going on a war footing zone amid difficulties and it is going to be an economic corridor for Ladakh and Kashmir. The tunnel is supposed to be the longest tunnel in Asia and the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the decision to start the work.
 
We can overcome all the problems as officers of NHIDCL, security personnel, contractors, engineers and workers are working to complete the project within the stipulated timelines. We want to start the tunnel 24×7 once completed. The way work is presently going on we will complete the tunnel before the stipulated time period and effort is being made to complete it up to 2023 end. 
 
He informed that the Union Government is spending more than 1 lakh crore rupees only for tunnels in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. A lot of projects are in the DPR stage.
 
“Within two years the scenario of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be changed. We will give more infrastructure facilities but need cooperation for land acquisition and other works. Funds are not a problem. Zojila Tunnel will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel”, he further added.