In Zojila, light at the end of tunnel
The Zojila Tunnel in the Himalayas has reached a construction breakthrough, promising safer travel between Ladakh and Kashmir. Local residents reflect on the historical dangers of the Zojila Pass, which has claimed many lives due to extreme weather and terrain.
Why it matters
The tunnel represents a critical infrastructure project that improves connectivity and safety in a historically treacherous and geopolitically sensitive region.
On June 9, when the 13.14-kilometre-long Zojila Tunnel witnessed a construction breakthrough, Muhammad Shafi Sagar, 50, and Ashiq Wazir, 30, unknown to each other, experienced both relief and sadness. Relief that they and their friends will, in a couple of years, be able to travel between Ladakh’s Drass district and the Kashmir Valley relatively free of the fear of dangerous terrain. Sadness, because they had both lost loved ones in the treacherous Zojila Pass.
The reporting is descriptive and human-interest focused, highlighting local impact without political agenda.
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