After Uttarkashi’s Silkyara Tunnel Collapse, NHAI Reviewed 17 Under-Construction Tunnels: MoRTH

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has reviewed 17 under-construction tunnel projects across the country in the last few weeks after the Uttarkashi incident, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) informed the Lok Sabha, adding that the review of five more tunnels will be completed by month-end.

On November 12, the under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Barkot in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi collapsed as the debris fell on the Silkyara side. At least 41 workers were trapped, who were rescued safely on November 28.

Days after this collapse, the Ministry announced that it would audit the other under-construction tunnels across the country.

“The NHAI has recently taken up review of 26 under-construction tunnel projects on NHs, of which review of 17 tunnel projects has been completed and that of five tunnel projects is scheduled to be completed by December 2023. The construction work of four tunnel projects has not yet commenced,” MoRTH said in its reply in the Lok Sabha.

These under-construction tunnels, with a total length of over 70 km, are spread over different locations across the country, including Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Delhi.

The Ministry also informed the House that only one fatal collapse incident has taken place in tunnel projects of the NHAI since 2020-21. In May 2022, an under-construction tunnel collapsed near Khooni Nallah area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district killing 10 workers.

In the reply, the Ministry added that safety measures are an integral part of highway and tunnel projects during different stages of design, construction and operation and Maintenance.

“Appropriate safety measures in accordance with IRC codes and guidelines are adopted for the design, construction and maintenance of NHs/tunnels,” the Ministry said.

It also went on to say that after the collapse in Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarakhand, a Committee of Experts has been constituted by the Government for investigation into reasons behind the collapse.

The Committee will also recommend Standard Operating Procedures to be followed in case of tunnel collapse and in respect of safety measures during tunnel construction.