Narendra Modi and Omar Abdullah-Photo ANI
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “Better resources are necessary for a developed India. Those who do not want the betterment of the country will lose. We will not see the country, Jammu and Kashmir and its democracy being harmed. Because of this tunnel, there will be tourism in Sonmarg all 12 months of the year.”
J&K:Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Ganderbal in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday January 13 .2025 . Here he inaugurated the Z-Morh tunnel. During this time, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari were also present with him. In his address after the inauguration of the tunnel, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked PM Modi for conducting peaceful elections in the Union Territory. He said that you kept your promise in 4 months and fulfilled what you said. You conducted elections in the valley without any disturbance.
Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah said, ‘You (PM Modi) said 3 very important things during your program in Srinagar on International Yoga Day. You said that you are working on ending Dil Ki Doori and Dilli Ki Doori and this is really proved by your work. During that time you told the people of Jammu and Kashmir that elections will be held very soon and people will get a chance to choose their government through their votes. You kept your point and elections were held within 4 months. And people will get a chance to choose their government. You kept your point and elections were held within 4 months. A new government was elected and the result is that I am talking to you here as the Chief Minister.
He said that people participated in the elections in large numbers and there was no complaint of any rigging or misuse of power anywhere. CM Omar Abdullah further said, ‘Prime Minister, you had also promised to restore the state status of Jammu and Kashmir. People keep asking me about this and I keep reminding them that PM Modi will fulfilled his promise of holding elections. I am confident that soon this promise will also be fulfilled and Jammu and Kashmir will once again be a state of this country.’
This tunnel will keep Sonamarg connected to Srinagar throughout the year
Omar said that due to the efforts of Prime Minister Modi, the ceasefire on the border has benefited the remote areas a lot. He said, whether it is Machil, Gurez, Karnah or Keran, people are benefiting in terms of development and tourism due to the arrival of more tourists. The chief minister also said that with the opening of the Z-MORH tunnel in Sonamarg, people from the upper areas will no longer need to travel to the plains as road connectivity will be available throughout the yea , Omar added.
6.5 KM long tunnel built at a cost of ₹2,700 crore
He remembered the 7 civilians involved in the Z-MORH tunnel construction project who were killed by terrorists in Gagangir last year. This 6.5 km long two-lane tunnel connecting Gagangir and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district has been constructed by the National Highway Authority of India at a cost of over ₹2,700 crore. The tunnel also has a 7.5 meter wide emergency exit route. Omar Abdullah said that the Z-MORH tunnel will enable the Sonamarg resort in Ganderbal district to develop as a winter sports destination like the famous Gulmarg skiing resort city.