Jammu/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday inaugurate the significant Z-Morh tunnel at Sonmarg in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district, media reports said.

The 6.4-km-long bi-directional tunnel will connect Sonmarg with the Kangan town in Ganderbal.

It will also connect Kashmir and Ladakh all throughout the year.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the tunnel at 11:45 am and is expected to meet the workers who worked to build the tunnel.

A couple of days ago, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah reviewed the preparations before the inauguration by Modi.

Abdullah wrote on X, "Visited Sonmarg today to review preparations for PM @narendramodi-ji’s visit on Monday. The inauguration of the Z-morh tunnel will open Sonmarg to tourism all year round, Sonmarg will now be developed as a great ski resort.

"The local population will not have to leave in winter & the travel time to Kargil/Leh from Srinagar will also reduce."

The construction of the tunnel was headed by three organisations at three different times.

The work began in 2012 under Border Roads Organisation, it was then handed over to Tunnelway Ltd. and finally to National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).

The cost of the tunnel has remained Rs. 2,400 crore.

The tunnel is constructed at the site of a Z-shaped road stretch which used to get shut for most of the time in winter.

Along with the tunnel, an escape tunnel has been made to avail during emergencies.