The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has achieved an important milestone on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. On Thursday, it announced the successful breakthrough of the second tube of India’s first eight-lane tunnel. This tunnel passes through the Mukundra Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan’s Kota district.

The NHAI shared that the tunnel was built without disturbing the endangered animals in the area. The tunnel construction used the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, which is advanced and designed to protect nature. This method involves building in small parts (called drifts) to ensure safety and reduce environmental damage.

The Mukundra Tiger Reserve has a low number of trees, which made the work slightly easier. Still, it was a difficult task because of the tough land and the importance of the protected forest area.

In a series of posts on X, the NHAI said, “Twin tunnel spans 4.9 km, including a 1.56 km cover of both ends and a 3.33 km underground tunnel. The construction posed unique challenges due to its low-cover terrain and was constructed using the advanced New Austrian Tunnelling Method, ensuring minimal environmental impact."

Tunnel to reduce distance and protect the environment

This eight-lane tunnel is the first of its kind in India. It includes two separate tubes, each with four lanes. The total length of the tunnel is 4.9 kilometres. The breakthrough of the first tunnel between Kota and Chechat happened last month. This time, the second breakthrough was achieved between Chechat and Kota. Right now, the road distance between the two places is around 70 kilometres, but the tunnel will help reduce it.

The construction of the tunnel was delayed earlier due to a design change after the NHAI failed to get environmental clearance, an official told News18.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is 1,386 km long. Out of this, 373 km falls in Rajasthan. Except for three packages with a total of 46 km—including this tunnel—the rest is operational.

Earlier this month, News18 reported that 1,156 km of the entire expressway has been completed, and 756 km is already open to the public. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the expressway includes two "iconic eight-lane tunnels", which are a sign of India’s engineering growth.

Another similar four-kilometre tunnel will pass through the eco-sensitive Matheran region in Maharashtra.

 

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