Indian Economy News

India’s Tunnels: Engineering Marvels Beneath the Surface

India is secretly changing the way people, goods, and services move through the country, with the implementation of an ambitious tunnel plan that cuts through mountains, rivers, and difficult topographies to increase connectivity. Mega projects such as the 12.77 km Tunnel T50, which is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link in Jammu & Kashmir, are revolutionizing the transportation of goods and people through the region. The Atal Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet, which connects the country, has reduced travel time, increased strategic connectivity, and kept the region connected with the rest of the country, regardless of the season. Also, the country’s urban centres have not been left behind with projects such as the underwater metro tunnel connecting the city through the Hooghly River.
These tunnels are not merely engineering marvels; they are economic lifelines. The Sonamarg Tunnel, constructed for Rs. 2,700 crore (US$ 303 million), apart from providing all-weather connectivity towards the Ladakh valley, ensures better access to medical as well as other necessary services in the previously disconnected areas. The Sela Tunnel, approximately Rs. 825 crore (US$ 92.7 million), and the Banihal-Qazigund Road Tunnel, costing over Rs. 3,100 crore (US$ 348 million), play pivotal roles in the strategic sectors, namely national defence as well as the balanced development for the respective regions. The soon-to-be-constructed Zojila Tunnel, likely to result in the conservation of over Rs. 5,000 crore (US$ 561.8 million) shatters all previous records by being the longest road tunnel in the Indian national geography. 

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.