Question- On May 19th, 2018, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Zojila Tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway at an event in Jive-tsal in Leh. Its length is –
(a) 9.15 km
(b) 15km
(c) 14 km
(d) 8.5km
Answer: (c)
Related Facts:
- On May 19th, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Zojila Tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway at an event in Jive-tsal in Leh, Jammu and Kashmir.
- The 14 km long Zojila tunnel will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bidirectional tunnel.
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, had approved the construction, operation and maintenance of this 2-lane bi-directional tunnel with Parallel Escape (Egress) tunnel between Baltal and Minamarg on the Srinagar-Leh section of NH-1A at a total cost of Rs 6800 crore earlier this year.
- The tunnel will bring relief to the people of this region by providing all weather connectivity. It will also cut down the time taken to cross the Zojila pass from the present 3.5 hours to just 15 minutes, besides making the drive much safer and convenient.
- The Zojila tunnel has been planned as a smart tunnel. It will have latest safety features like fully transverse ventilation system, Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), Tunnel Emergency Lighting, CCTV Monitoring, Variable Message Signs (VMS), Traffic Logging Equipment, Over Height Vehicle Detection, Tunnel Radio System, etc.
- It will have pedestrian cross passages at every 250 meter and motorable cross passages and lay-bys at every 750 meter.
- It will have emergency telephones and fire-fighting cabinets at every 125 meter.
- The Ring Roads and Srinagar and Jammu are aimed at reducing traffic congestion at these cities and making road travel safer, faster, more convenient and more environments friendly.
- The 42.1 Km, 4 lane Srinagar Ring Road will link Galandar in West Srinagar to Sumbal. Being built at a cost of Rs 1860 crore, this road will provide a new route from Srinagar to Kargil and Leh, and reduce travel time.
- There will be a major bridge, three flyovers, 23 tunnels and 2 via-ducts on this route.
- The 58.25 km, 4-lane Jammu Ring Road, being built at a cost of Rs 2023.87 crore, will link Jagati (western Jammu) to Raya Morh.
- There will be 8 large bridges, 6 flyovers, 2 tunnels and 4 via ducts on this route.
Reference:
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=179386
https://www.narendramodi.in/pm-to-visit-jammu-and-kashmir-on-may-19-2018-540127
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/pm-to-lay-stone-of-pakal-dul-hydel-project-today/591242.html