Srinagar, June 9 -- Drass- The Rs 6,800-crore Zojila Tunnel project, set to become Asia's longest tunnel and a key all-weather link between Kashmir and Ladakh, achieved a major breakthrough on Tuesday as excavation teams met after blasting through the final 2.5 metres of rock inside the 13-kilometre tunnel.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari performed the breakthrough blast at the project site located at an altitude of 11,578 feet above sea level, around 24 kilometres from Sonamarg and 103 kilometres from Srinagar.

The breakthrough marks a significant milestone in one of India's most challenging infrastructure projects, which is being constructed through the fragile Himalayan terrain to provide year-round conne...