On a High-way! MoRTH Plans to Build 74 New Tunnels worth ₹1 L Cr

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

ministry of road transport and highways plans to build 74 new tunnels stretching 273 km at a cost of ₹1 lakh crore over the next few years as part of a mega scheme to strengthen India's highway network, roads minister Nitin Gadkari said.

The minister said this will be done while ensuring regular performance audits of all under-construction projects.

Addressing the second edition of Tunnelling India conference organised by Ficci on Tuesday, Gadkari favoured giving a majority 51% stake to foreign partners in joint ventures for building tunnels and detailed project reports to improve work quality, saying it will ensure that only serious and technically qualified players bid for tunnel projects.

He also underlined the need for technology upgrade and cost-effective solutions to tackle the unique challenges of India's diverse terrain while maintaining high-quality standards. «We need to find out exactly which is the best technology that is cost-effective without compromising on quality,» he said, suggesting the need for adopting global best practices in infrastructure development.

Gadkari said the government has already completed 35 tunnels spanning 49 km at a cost of ₹15,000 crore.