CENTRE ISSUES NEW TUNNEL SAFETY GUIDELINES

NEWS – Nearly two years after the 2023 Silkyara Bend–Barkot tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand, which trapped 41 workers for 17 days, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued comprehensive guidelines to strengthen planning, construction and emergency management of road tunnels in India.

WHY THE GUIDELINES WERE NEEDED

• Multiple tunnel collapses reported in recent years
• Poor DPR quality & inadequate geotechnical investigation
• Weak risk assessment and execution monitoring
• Increasing tunnel construction in Himalayan terrain & border areas

KEY PROVISIONS IN NEW GUIDELINES

Stronger Planning & DPR Standards

• Mandatory Geotechnical Baseline Report (GBR)
• Preparation of Risk Register
• Clear allocation of risk to party “best equipped to manage it”
• Site-specific studies instead of generic assessments

Accurate Ground Investigation

• Detailed investigation of:
  • Squeezing/swelling zones
  • Rock bursts
  • Shallow cover areas
  • Water ingress & hot spring zones
  • Toxic/flammable gas presence
• Addresses frequent mismatch between predicted & real ground conditions

 Technology Use: NATM vs TBM

• NATM (Design-as-you-go) for variable rock
• TBM for uniform formations
• Requires:
  • Continuous site observation
  • Updated excavation & support planning
• Special safety focus on collapse and water ingress risks

Emergency Preparedness

• Tunnels classified into collapse-risk zones
• Mandatory:
  • Escape pipes (Np-4 type, 0.9 m diameter)
  • Mobile rescue containers every 150–300 m
  • Fixed survival containers every 2 km
  • Minimum 24-hour survival capability
• Weekly update of Emergency Response Plan
• Clearly defined roles of:
  • District administration
  • Construction agencies
  • SDRF/NDRF & Armed Forces

TUNNEL EXPANSION PUSH

• 42 tunnels completed (60.37 km)
• 57 under construction (93.96 km)
• New approvals worth ₹1,962 crore
• Major upcoming strategic & highway projects