ZOJILA, India — Workers tunneling deep into the mountains near India’s contentious border with China are racing to complete a road connection that promises to become a linchpin of New Delhi’s defense strategy, as both sides build up infrastructure.

The Zojila Tunnel in the Himalayas is due to connect Ganderbal in Kashmir with the town of Drass in the Kargil district of Ladakh. Billed as Asia’s longest two-way road tunnel at around 13 kilometers, according to the Indian government and contractor, it promises to cut travel times across the Zojila Pass from as long as three hours to just 20 minutes. This will save fuel while ensuring all-year connectivity.

Project Manager Harpal Singh recently told Nikkei Asia that the work, which began in 2020, is being hastened to make the project functional for army vehicles during the winter. “In case of an extreme national emergency, or if a war with China were to break out, army trucks would be allowed to pass through” in 2025, he said.

The project was originally expected to be completed by the end of 2026. But it has been tough going, partly due to the harsh environment. In January, an avalanche killed two laborers and damaged equipment.

“As of now, approximately 6.5 km out of the total 13 km of drilling has been completed,” Singh said. “The project is expected to open for all traffic in 2028.”

The highway connecting Jammu and Kashmir with the Ladakh region, near the disputed border with China, is often blocked in winter. (Photo by Abrar Fayaz)

Shifting geopolitics have only underscored the urgency of the estimated $830 million tunnel and road project led by India’s Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd. (MEIL).

Concerns about conflict are more than hypothetical. In 2020, Indian and Chinese troops clashed in hand-to-hand combat in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley. The first violent confrontation between them since 1975 left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead. Since then, the situation has remained volatile, while the rivals have been pouring money into infrastructure near the de facto boundary that separates them, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“Despite repeated disengagement agreements since 2020, both sides have deepened their relative footholds along the border, bringing in new combined-arms brigades and building additional infrastructure,” the United States Institute of Peace noted in a report published at the end of May. “China, in particular, has focused on building up infrastructure along the LAC,” it added, noting that this was in line with a 2021 Chinese law stipulating that the state should “promote coordination between border defense and social, economic development in border areas.”

The tunnel, once it is at least partially open, promises to solve a logistical problem for India, as the national Highway between Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, and Ladakh’s Zojila stretch is covered in snow throughout the winter, hindering road traffic and isolating the border region from the rest of country.

S.P. Sinha, a retired army major general, said the new tunnel will ensure year-round road access for the armed forces, bolstering national security. “Logistics will remain intact throughout the year, movement and upgradation of equipment will be quick,” he said, while the tunnel will “assure proper mobilization of army traffic and emergency evacuation” throughout the year. This, he said, “will put India in a good position if tension between India and China escalates.”

Experts and locals say the tunnel will have clear economic and quality-of-life benefits, in addition to its strategic significance. (Photo by Abrar Fayaz)

The workers constructing the tunnel face another formidable adversary: nature itself.

One recent morning, as light washed over snowcapped peaks, Sartaj Ahmed, 42, went through his ritual of putting on a reflective vest, rubber gloves and a helmet before hopping into an open-roof SUV that would take him and other workers from their makeshift accommodation to the construction site. “Risk is always looming, since nature is unpredictable,” he said. Rocks and other hazards in these mountains at over 3,500 meters above sea level “pose a constant threat” that could lead to serious injuries or even death, he said.

Ishtiyaq Wani, in charge of safety on the project, stressed that “safety team members are always inside the tunnel with workers.”

“If any critical incident happens, our teams take swift action. … Safety of our workers is the first [priority],” he said.

Despite the risks, some workers find satisfaction in the project’s importance. “I take pride in working here,” said a man who works as a tunnel blaster. “It gives me immense peace to be part of this strategic project, which will bring ease and will connect the people of Ladakh.”

Workers in the tunnel say they worry about the risks but also take pride in the job. (Photo by Abrar Fayaz)

Beyond the strategic significance of finishing the tunnel, experts and locals say it will have clear economic and quality-of-life benefits, too.

Due to its location, the Ladakh region depends on Kashmir for basic necessities. The risk of road closures means it is crucial to stockpile essentials during the brief summer. The limited availability of goods often results in inflated prices.

Akeel Zakari, a resident of Drass who attends college in Srinagar, expressed frustration with the road conditions in winter. During vacations, he returns to visit family, but the blockages mean he must leave early and he has even missed significant amounts of class time.

Zakari said that in winter, the only reliable way to reach Srinagar is by air. But this means tickets are both scarce and expensive. He is counting on the tunnel to provide a more convenient option throughout the year.

Experts say that upon completion, the tunnel will save millions of rupees in fuel, which will also benefit the army.

“As Zojila Tunnel will be the shortest route to reach the border, military expenditure spent on mobilizing army transport and heavy raw machinery will be reduced to a large extent, cutting down the fuel costs,” said Singh, the retired major general.