Srinagar, Jan 12: Stage is all set for inauguration of Z-Morh Tunnel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sonamarg on Monday.
Security forces on Sunday intensified sanitization efforts and area domination exercise in Kashmir.,
The deployment of security personnel has been increased in the vulnerable areas and dozens of checkpoints have been set up at important intersections in various districts to ensure that anti-national elements cannot move around freely, they said.
The officials said that random checking and frisking of people and vehicles, including two-wheelers, has been intensified while patrolling is also taking place.
“Security has been tightened near the Z-Morh tunnel. Multi-layered security arrangements have been put in place and the PM’s security team, comprising the SPG personnel, has taken over the venue,” they said.
The prime minister is likely to address a public rally after the tunnel’s inauguration at Gagangir, the officials said, adding the venue is now off-limits for the public.
Jammu and Kashmir Police, paramilitary forces, and the Army are part of the security apparatus for Monday’s inauguration. The officials said that extensive area domination exercises, searches, and patrols are being conducted to ensure the smooth conduct of the event.
The sharpshooters have been deployed at vulnerable points, and aerial and technical surveillance, including drones, is also being undertaken. They added that the area is being monitored around the clock.
Earlier on October 20 last year, seven people, including a local doctor, were killed in a terrorist attack near the tunnel site in the Gagangir area.
The authorities have closed the Srinagar-Leh national highway from Saturday to Monday “due to icy road conditions caused by inclement weather and to facilitate maintenance work by road maintenance agencies”.
However, it is widely perceived that the arterial road link between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has been shut for the prime minister’s visit.
Built for Rs 2,400 crore on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, the strategic 6.5-km Z-Morh tunnel will be a major step towards making the Ladakh region accessible by road throughout the year. The work on the project began in May 2015 and was completed last year.
The soft opening of the tunnel was done in February 2024.
The tunnel is vital in terms of the defense needs of the country in the Ladakh region and also connecting the youngest Union Territory to the rest of the country.
Situated at an altitude of 8,650 feet, the Z-Morh tunnel is a two-lane road tunnel equipped with a parallel 7.5-metre-wide escape passage for emergencies.