That’s spot on! Here’s a deeper look into the Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel—a modern marvel of Indian railway engineering:
Length: 11.215 km (36,795 ft)
Location: Between Quazigund and Banihal, in the Pir Panjal Range, Jammu and Kashmir
Opened: June 2013
Part of: Jammu–Baramulla line project by Indian Railways
Operator: Northern Railway Zone
Constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM)
Single-track tunnel with provisions for double tracking in the future
Equipped with ventilation shafts, emergency exits, fire detection, and communication systems
Reduces the travel distance between Banihal and Quazigund by 17 km
Cuts travel time from 1.5 hours to just 10 minutes
Enables all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and rest of India, especially crucial in winter
Built by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC)
Cost: Approx. ₹1,300 crore (~US$200 million)
The tunnel lies at an elevation of 1,760 m (5,770 ft) above sea level
It is lined with concrete and has a modern drainage system to prevent waterlogging from snowmelt
It was India’s second-longest transportation tunnel until the completion of the Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh (9.02 km for road but at a higher altitude)
