Zoji La breakthrough: Expert Janak Rathore hails 11,578-feet tunnel milestone
An ace geotechnical and tunnelling expert, Janak Singh Rathore, was on cloud nine on Tuesday after he witnessed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari performing the breakthrough blasting of the Zoji La tunnel being constructed at an altitude of 11,578 feet above sea level to provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.
Hailing from the remote village of Sarthal in Kishtwar District, Janak Singh Rathore has come a long way in his illustrious career spanning over three decades.
He is one of the tunnelling experts who have been associated with four major strategic tunnel projects in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
An M Tech in Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, Janak Singh Rathore transformed these academic achievements into practical engineering excellence, contributing significantly to some of India's most challenging and strategically important tunnel projects in the Himalayan region. As project director, he played an active role in the construction of the 9 km long Chenani-Nashri Tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Later, Janak Singh Rathore became part of the core team of experts who supervised the work of the 6.5 km-long Z-Morh Tunnel and successfully implemented the project.
Previously, he worked tirelessly on another ambitious project, the 8.5 km long Qazigund-Banihal tunnel, which provided all-weather connectivity to the commuters travelling in the region. Speaking exclusively to The Pioneer, Janak Singh Rathore said, “From Jammu to Ladakh, I have served in different roles across these landmark projects, gaining invaluable experience and working alongside some of the finest professionals in the industry.”
He said all these projects were extremely challenging in terms of complex geology, unpredictable hydrology, harsh weather conditions, freezing temperatures ranging from -15°C to -35°C, difficult terrain. Yet, each challenge became an opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to nation-building. “As I continue my journey with the Zojila Tunnel Project, I feel grateful for every challenge, every lesson, and every colleague who has been part of this remarkable journey and the experience. These tunnels are not merely engineering marvels; they are symbols of determination, connectivity, and national progress,” he added. He said, “I feel proud to have contributed, even in a small way, to these transformative infrastructure projects.”
Rathore worked as a senior geotechnical expert on the Zojila tunnel project. He said our primary objective was to transform geological uncertainty into informed engineering decisions, ensuring safe tunnel advancement, controlled project risks, and successful completion of this strategically important all-weather connectivity project linking Kashmir with Ladakh.
His expertise in rock mechanics, engineering geology, tunnel engineering, instrumentation, slope stability, groundwater management, and construction risk mitigation under challenging Himalayan conditions came in handy during the execution of the project.
