The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, led by Nitin Gadkari, is planning to make travel across India smoother by building several tunnels. To improve the country’s infrastructure, the ministry has planned to spend ₹1 lakh crore on this project.

74 New Tunnels to be Built

Nitin Gadkari shared details about this plan during the “Tunneling India Conference” organized by FICCI. He announced that the ministry will build 74 new tunnels, which will have a total length of 273 kilometers. The project will cost ₹1 lakh crore.

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Challenges from India’s Geography

Gadkari highlighted that India’s diverse geography presents unique challenges for infrastructure projects. He emphasized the need to find the best technology that reduces costs without compromising quality.

Ongoing Tunnel Projects

The minister mentioned that the government has already completed 35 tunnels with a total length of 49 kilometers, costing ₹15,000 crore. Additionally, 69 more tunnels, totaling 135 kilometers in length, are currently under construction at a cost of ₹40,000 crore.

Need for Better Project Quality

Gadkari stressed the importance of improving the quality of Detailed Project Reports (DPR) in India. He noted that many DPR consultants do not follow proper procedures in the construction of highways, roads, or tunnels. Gadkari also pointed out the need for a performance audit over financial audits and suggested using terrain-specific approaches in areas like the Himalayas to address challenges such as landslides. Technologies like precast and push-back techniques could be beneficial in these regions.