Name Zojila Tunnel portals after 1947-48 Indo-Pak war hero and 8th century Kashmir ruler: Raut

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“Such a gesture would pay tribute both to the valour of those who defended the nation and to the rich historical legacy that has shaped the identity of Kashmir through the centuries,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said. File | Photo Credit: ANI

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has demanded that the two portals of the Zojila Tunnel, linking the Kashmir Valley with Ladakh, be named after Brigadier Mohammed Usman, a 1947-48 Indo-Pak war hero, and Samrat Lalitaditya Muktapida, the 8th-century ruler of Kashmir.

The ₹6,800-crore Zojila tunnel, Asia’s longest tunnel connecting the Kashmir Valley to Ladakh, on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) achieved a significant breakthrough with a blast breaking through the last 2.5 metres of the 13-km high-altitude infrastructure project that cuts through the Himalayas.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari performed the breakthrough blasting of the main tunnel being constructed at an altitude of 11,578 feet above sea level, 24 km from Sonamarg and 103 km from Srinagar.

The tunnel is likely to be thrown open to the public in February 2028, as per officials.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (June 9, 2026), Mr. Raut said Zojila Tunnel stands as one of the most remarkable infrastructure projects undertaken in independent India. Upon completion, it will not only provide seamless all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh but will also strengthen national security, enhance economic opportunities, promote tourism, and deepen the integration of some of our country’s most strategically significant regions.

“I propose that one portal of the Zojila Tunnel be named after Brigadier Mohammed Usman and the other after Samrat Lalitaditya Muktapida, thereby commemorating two distinguished personalities who symbolise different yet complementary dimensions of India’s enduring national heritage,” Mr. Raut said.

The Sonamarg/Kashmir portal of the Zojila Tunnel may be named after Brigadier Mohammed Usman. The Dra