While protests and unrest continue in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), India has achieved a major infrastructure milestone in Jammu and Kashmir with the breakthrough of the strategically important Zojila Tunnel.
On Tuesday, engineers working from both the Kashmir and Ladakh sides met deep beneath the Himalayas, marking the completion of excavation work for the 13.15-km Zojila Tunnel. Once completed, it will become Asia’s longest bidirectional road tunnel and provide year-round connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The breakthrough came at a time when several towns in POK, including Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad and Mirpur, have witnessed protests, detentions and clashes in recent days. Authorities in the region have suspended internet services and deployed security forces amid fears of further unrest.
The contrast between the two sides of Kashmir has drawn attention.
While POK has been witnessing protests over inflation, electricity tariffs, governance and political representation, Jammu and Kashmir has seen major investments in roads, railways and tourism infrastructure over the past decade.
The Zojila Tunnel is one of several key projects aimed at improving connectivity in the region. Other major projects include the Z-Morh Tunnel, the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link.
Once operational in 2028, the Zojila Tunnel will end the annual winter isolation of Ladakh, where heavy snowfall often blocks the highway for months.
The unrest in POK is not new. In recent years, residents have repeatedly protested against rising prices, electricity bills and governance issues. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been leading many of these protests, emerged as a movement against economic hardship in the region.
Recent clashes in Rawalakot reportedly left several people dead, while hundreds have been detained.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed rising investment and infrastructure spending. According to official figures, investment proposals worth more than ₹1.6 lakh crore have been received, while the number of registered startups in the Union Territory has grown significantly in recent years.
Improved roads, rail links and tourism have helped boost economic activity in the region. The launch of Vande Bharat trains and the expansion of highway and tunnel networks have also reduced travel time and strengthened connectivity.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari attended the Zojila Tunnel breakthrough event, calling it an important step for the development of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Although the political dispute over Kashmir remains unresolved, the developments on both sides of the Line of Control highlight two very different realities. While protests and instability continue in POK, India is focusing on infrastructure, connectivity and economic development in Jammu and Kashmir.
