The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Wednesday that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will conduct a safety assessment of all 29 tunnels that are currently under construction nationwide to guarantee safety and compliance with the highest quality standards.

The news comes against the backdrop of the November 12 collapse of the Silkyara Tunnel, which is still under construction in Uttarkashi, trapping 41 labourers.

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The 29 tunnels that are now under construction have a total length of around 79 km and are located throughout the nation. Twelve of the tunnels are located in Himachal Pradesh, six in Jammu & Kashmir, two in Maharashtra, one in Odisha, one in Rajasthan, and one in each of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi.

“NHAI officials along with a team of experts from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as well as other tunnel experts will inspect the ongoing tunnel projects and will submit a report within seven days,” the ministry said.

A memorandum of agreement was also signed by NHAI and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL). Under the terms of the agreement, KRCL examines the design, drawings, and safety features pertaining to the building of tunnels and the stabilization of slopes for NHAI projects.

“KRCL will also conduct safety audits of tunnels and if required, suggest remedial measures. In addition to this, KRCL will organise training programs for capacity building of NHAI officials. This agreement will remain in effect for a period of two years,” the ministry said.

The ministry stated that in September, NHAI and DMRC inked a comparable contract for the provision of services related to the planning, designing, building, and upkeep of tunnels, bridges, and other structures on National Highways across the nation.

It said, the initiatives demonstrate NHAI’s commitment to building a safe and efficient National Highway network and working with government agencies to exchange best practices for improving transportation infrastructure, supporting the objective of nation building.