The notification, dated September 6, will apply to all tunnels with length more than 1.5 km. The enhanced scrutiny related provisions are being put in place as the ministry plans to build 74 new tunnels stretching 273 km at a cost of Rs 1 lakh crore over the next few years under its mega plan to strengthen India’s highway network.
As per the notification, the ministry has set up an advisory panel comprising experts from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and THIDCL for tendering expert advice during the appraisal of long tunnel projects.
“It has been decided that henceforth proposals for long tunnel projects (length more than 1.5 km) on national highways must be submitted to the director general (road development) for technical review and obtaining expert advice from the advisory panel well before submitting the proposal for appraisal,” the ministry notified.
“The proposal must inter-alia include details of geological, geotechnical, geophysical studies, alignment report, design of tunnel including electro-mechanical works, instrumentation and safety measures during construction and operations along with cost estimates,” it added.
The government had earlier established a collaborative framework with academic institutions and government organisations to address issues and problems at the time of preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) and providing expert advice during the construction stage.The Silkyara tunnel tragedy in November 2023 saw 41 workers getting trapped in the tunnel after its portion collapsed. However, all were safely rescued after 17 days of intense rescue operation.
Content Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com