The state Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has cleared construction of 14-kilometer long tunnel at Zojilla pass to ensure all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh. Minister for Forest and Environment Mian Altaf said FAC cleared the construction of Rs 9090 crore tunnel last month. The FAC is headed by the Chief Secretary Iqbal Khanday. “We are hopeful that work on the project will start this year,” Altaf said. The Union cabinet had cleared the construction of the tunnel last October. At present the traffic between Kashmir and Ladakh has to cross treacherous Zojila pass situated at an altitude of 11578 ft on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh highway. The passage remains closed for four to five months every year owing to heavy snowfall in the area during winters as also during inclement weather conditions. Zojilla tunnel would connect Sonamarg in Kashmir with Drass on the Ladakh side, bypassing the existing Zojilla pass. “This tunnel is a huge project and every aspect has been taken care of for its construction. We have to be very sure that everything is in place,” said Chief Engineer Border Roads Organization (BRO) RK Sharma. The project, to be implemented by BRO, involves construction of 14-km long two-lane tunnel at an altitude of about 12000 feet with an escape route and approach road of 11 kms. It would be built on BOT annuity basis where the Government would pay back the private developer's investment in installments once the tunnel becomes operational and its concession period is 22 years including 7 years construction period. The Chief Engineer said the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has invited tenders at the international level for construction of the tunnel. “The annuity payments would start only after 7 years after completion of the tunnel,” read the minutes of the 59th meeting of the Public-Private-Partnership-Appraisal-Committee (PPPAC) of Union Finance Ministry. The meeting was chaired by Secretary, Economic Affairs on August 5, 2013. According to the minutes the project was critically required to provide all-weather connectivity to the Ladakh region leading to its overall socio-economic development, the minutes said. The area where the tunnel has to be constructed is prone to avalanches, submergence under extensive snow and has rocks with fissures causing water leakages and the work season would be limited between five to six months in a year, the report said. “Hence, the project cost is higher since it requires different construction techniques and the equipment remains idle for six to seven months every year,” said the report.