This road in the Himalayas is one of the most dangerous in the world. But Sartaj risks his life here every day, all to build the longest tunnel in Asia at 12,000 feet above sea level. India is spending nearly $1 billion on it. Thousands of workers have moved here and spend hours breaking rocks that are over 45 million years old. Narrator: But there’s a political motive behind the tunnel.
It would allow India to send more troops to its contested northern border with China, where clashes have become frequent over the years. Michael: These are two global heavyweights, and the fact that they are not able to agree on this very long, tense border, this is nothing to sneeze at. Narrator: So will the Zojila Tunnel be a game changer in the rivalry between India and China? And how is building it in this isolated part of the world even possible? Every day, this kitchen prepares breakfast for hundreds of workers before they head to the tunnel. Today, they’re fueling up on samosas and chickpeas. Sartaj Ahmad Ganai is a plumber on the project.
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Everyone leaves the tunnel before the explosion. Narrator: Insider was not allowed to film the blast, because it’s too dangerous. There’s a doctor on standby to provide first aid, but the nearest hospital is 60 miles away. After the explosion, workers load up trucks with debris and dump them outside. Some of these rocks will be crushed and reused later to build the walls inside. Mountain tunnels like Zojila have a long history. In 1871, France and Italy built the Mont Cenis Tunnel, which took over a decade to complete. The tunnel runs through the Alps and is roughly the same length as the Zojila Tunnel. But back then, nothing of this scale had ever been built before. The engineer, Germain Sommeiller, introduced tunneling techniques and equipment that are still used today, like heavy rock drills and dynamite, which had just been invented. And Zojila is also expected to be a game changer. It’ll be 8 miles long when it’s completed in 2026, making it the longest two-lane road tunnel in Asia. But most importantly, it will give India greater access to its 2,100-mile-long border with China. What makes it even more complicated is that both countries have different views on where exactly the border is disputed. It’s never been formally demarcated. Narrator: That’s triggered several clashes, including three years ago, when 20 Indians and four Chinese soldiers died.