The most ambitious and technically challenging part of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the Mukundra Tunnel, is in its final stages. The massive tunnel, which passes under the Mukundra Hills in Rajasthan, is about 82% complete and is targeted to be fully operational by the end of this year, officials said.
The tunnel, about 5 km long and eight lanes wide, is India’s first four-lane double-tube tunnel, consisting of two separate tunnel tubes, each with four lanes. With a total width of 21 metres, it has become the widest tunnel in the country, a new national record.
The tunnel passes through the Mukundra Hills National Park near Kota district of Rajasthan, which has been declared an eco-sensitive zone. The dense forest, hilly terrain, and diverse wildlife of the area posed major challenges to the project from an environmental and technical point of view. Despite this, the project has progressed well, and special care has been taken to cause minimum damage to the environment.
Pradeep Atri, Jaipur Regional Officer of NHAI, said, “This 12 km stretch was the most complex part of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. It falls in the buffer zone of the Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary, where a variety of flora and fauna are found. So during construction and subsequent work, we ensured that the habitat of the animals is not disturbed and they can co-exist safely with the highway.”
He further said, “We consulted the Wildlife Institute of India and built five special wildlife overpasses under the instructions of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, which were built according to the natural topography so that there is no hindrance in the movement of animals. Where we are standing, an eight-lane expressway passes below, and this structure above is an overpass built for animals. Each overpass is about 500 meters long.”
Atri described the protection of wildlife and natural habitat as the top priority and said that the strict rules imposed by the Ministry of Environment were fully followed. “The tunnel is five kilometres long and passes through the Mukundra Wildlife Sanctuary. The safety of wildlife and the environment was of utmost importance. We got strict instructions from the ministry. Vehicles will pass right where we are standing, and the height of the hill is different. This is India’s first four-lane tunnel. Its construction is almost 82% complete, and the target is to complete it by December.”
