Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the strategically significant Z-Morh or Sonamarg tunnel in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, for which elaborate security arrangements were made, with the Prime Minister's security team taking charge of the venue. The security arrangements for the inauguration on Monday included the Jammu and Kashmir Police, paramilitary forces, and the Army, as reported by the news agency PTI, quoting officials. Extensive area control exercises, searches and patrols are being carried out to ensure the smooth conduct of the event.

Sharpshooters and aerial and technical surveillance were deployed at vulnerable locations, including drones. Officials said the area was kept under constant surveillance. "Security has been tightened near the Z-Mor tunnel. A multi-layered security arrangement has been put in place, and the PM's security team, comprised of SPG personnel, has taken charge of the venue," they said.

The Special Protection Group (SPG) is an agency of the Government of India that protects the Prime Minister of India and his immediate family members.

Authorities shut the Srinagar-Leh National Highway from Saturday to Monday "due to adverse weather conditions and icy road conditions and to facilitate maintenance work by road maintenance agencies." However, a PTI report said that the main road link between Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh is widely believed to have been closed for the PM's visit.

The 6.5-km Z-Morh tunnel, built at a cost of ₹2,400 crore on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, will significantly improve road access to the Ladakh area year-round. The project began in May 2015 and was finished last year, with an official opening scheduled for February 2024. The tunnel is crucial for the country's defence requirements in the Ladakh region, near the Chinese border, and it also connects the youngest Union Territory to the rest of the country.

The 12-kilometre-long Z-Morh tunnel, also known as Sonamarg, is built at 8,650 feet. It consists of the Sonamarg main tunnel (6.4 km long), an egress tunnel, and approach roads. Z-Morh Tunnel is a two-lane road tunnel with a parallel 7.5-metre-wide emergency exit. It is projected to improve all-weather interaction between Srinagar and Sonamarg on its way to Leh, avoiding landslides and avalanches and allowing safer and uninterrupted access to the strategically important Ladakh region. The construction of the Z-Morh tunnel in an avalanche-prone area rendered the road to Sonamarg usable during heavy snowfall and harsh winters. Because Sonamarg used to be blocked during heavy snowfall, the tunnel is critical to the region's tourism business. Along with the Zojila tunnel, which is now under construction, the Z-Morh tunnel would provide uninterrupted accessibility to the Baltal and Ladakh areas for military and civilian transportation. The tunnel is also projected to improve tourism by making Sonamarg a lucrative destination for winter tourism, adventure sports, and local livelihoods.

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) managing the project and has described it as an "engineering marvel" that will transform the region.

Taking to microblogging platform X, NHIDCL said, “The Sonamarg Tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir is a game-changer for the region, offering more than just a connection between Gagangir and Sonamarg. This engineering marvel is poised to unlock the full potential of the region's trade and tourism sectors.”

The tunnel is fitted with state-of-the-art technology that provides users with seamless connectivity. The Zojila Tunnel, which is scheduled to be completed by 2028, when completed, is expected to reduce the route length from 49 km to 43 km and increase the speed of vehicles from 30 km per hour to 70 km per hour, ensuring uninterrupted NH-1 connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh.