NHAI initiates audit of 12 tunnel projects in Himachal
The decision comes in the backdrop of the collapse of under-construction Silkyara Tunnel in neighbouring Uttarkashi, where operations to rescue 41 trapped workers have entered 13th day.
Dhramshala: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated an audit of at least 12 ongoing tunnel projects across Himachal Pradesh, to assess their structural integrity, safety protocols and emergency preparedness, an official familiar with the matter said on Friday.
The decision comes in the backdrop of the collapse of under-construction Silkyara Tunnel in neighbouring Uttarkashi, where operations to rescue 41 trapped workers have entered 13th day.
“Instructions have been issued for a safety audit of the tunnels under construction. Regional officials are personally visiting the tunnels to ensure adherence to safety standards,” said NHAI project director Varun Chari.
On November 22, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) announced that the NHAI will undertake a safety audit of all 29 under-construction tunnels, with a total length of about 79 km, across the country.
The 29 tunnels comprise 12 in Himachal Pradesh, including the strategically vital Chandigarh-Manali four-lane project. Other projects to be audited are six in Jammu and Kashmir, two each in Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and one each in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi, the ministry said in its statement.
“NHAI officials, along with a team of experts from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as well as other tunnel experts, will inspect the ongoing tunnel projects and will submit a report within seven days,” the statement was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
