Lok Sabha Question No. 1853 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-14
Subject: Audit of Tunnels
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Shrirang Appa Barne, Aparupa  Poddar, Prataprao  Jadhav, Sudheer Gupta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1853 ANSWERED ON 14 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## AUDIT OF TUNNELS

1853.   SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRIMATI APARUPA PODDAR:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

## be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  ordered  a  safety  audit  of  all  29 tunnels being constructed on National Highways (NHs) in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be completed;
- (c) whether the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has been asked to inspect all ongoing tunnel projects and submit a report in this regard;
- (d) if so, the time by which the report is likely to be submitted;
- (e) the detail of accidents and deaths on presently/ ongoing tunnel projects constructed by NHAI during each of the last three years and the current year, year-wise;
- (f) the reason for not making a safety exit during construction of the Uttarkashi tunnel which collapsed and trapped 41 workers; and
- (g)  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  regarding  safety  of tunnels in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a)  to  (d)  All  the  National  Highway(NH)  works  in  respect  of  their strength, stability and safety are designed, constructed and maintained  on  different  modes  like  Engineering,  Procurement  and Construction  (EPC),  Hybrid  Annuity  Model  (HAM),   Build  Operate Transfer  (BOT)  etc.,  as  per  relevant  Indian  Road  Congress  (IRC) codes, Ministry's guidelines, International standards and best industry  practices.  The  contract  conditions  of  all  these  modes include standards/specifications and safety norms for implementation  of  the  NH  works  including  tunnels.  Construction works and their safety aspects are regularly supervised by Independent Engineers (IEs)/Authority Engineers (AEs). Field officers and  Senior  officers  of  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  &  Highways (MoRTH),  National  Highways  Authority  of  India  (NHAI),  National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL),  Border  Roads  Organization  (BRO),  State  Public  Works Departments (PWDs) and other executing agencies of MoRTH also inspect  the  NH  works  including  their  safety  aspects.  NHAI  has recently taken up review of 26 under construction tunnel projects on NHs in which review of 17 tunnel projects have been completed and that  of  05  tunnel  projects  are  scheduled  to  be  completed  by December, 2023.  Construction work of 04 tunnel projects has not yet commenced.

- (e)      Details  of  accidents  and  deaths  which  occurred  on  tunnel projects under implementation by NHAI during the last three years and current year are as below:
- (f)      All operations connected with the construction of NH tunnels are carried out adopting appropriate safety precautions in accordance  with  the  IRC  guidelines.  Safety  of  Technical  Staff, Supervisors and Engineering Professionals during tunnel construction is ensured by adopting standard safety precautions. In the  Silkyara  bi-directional  tunnel  on  Dharasu -Yumunotri  highway (NH-134),  a  provision  of  separation  wall  has  been  provided  at  the center of the carriageway along with egress openings at an average interval of 565 m for vehicular crossover and at an average interval of 300 m for pedestrian cross passage for escape purposes during emergencies.
- (g)      Safety  measures  are  an  integral  part  of  highway  /  tunnel projects during different stages of design, construction and Operation  &  Maintenance  (O&M).  Appropriate  safety  measures  in accordance with IRC codes/guidelines are adopted for the design, construction and maintenance of NHs / tunnels. Subsequent to the collapse in Silkyara Tunnel on NH-134 in the state of Uttarakhand, a Committee of Experts has been constituted by the Government for investigation  of  the  reasons  for  collapse  of  the  tunnel  and  for

| Financial Year (FY)   | Number of accidents   | Number of persons deceased   |
|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------------|
| 2022-23               | 1 (one)               | 10 (ten)                     |

recommendation  of  Standard  Operating  Procedures  (SOPs)  to  be followed in case of tunnel collapse and in respect of safety measures during tunnel construction.

- *****