New Delhi, Aug. 2 -- The Zojila tunnel project, poised to be Asia's longest tunnel, around 13 km in length, in Jammu and Kashmir, is more than two years delayed. It is a crucial link to provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Leh.

Union Minister for Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the tunnel will now be completed by February 2028, when it was previously scheduled to be ready by September 29, 2026. Previously, the government has said the average travel time to cross the Zojila pass, which sometimes takes three hours at present, will come down to 20 minutes once the tunnel is ready.

"The project has been delayed due to multiple factors, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemi...