Silkyara Tunnel Collapse: Expert Committee Formed - Gadkari

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The government has constituted an expert committee to investigate reasons for collapse of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand and provide recommendations on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed in case of tunnel collapse/tunnel construction, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari said framing of guidelines on integration of safety technology into the regulatory frameworks of the highway projects, including those in the Himalayan projects and their upgrade to improve safety to reduce accidents is a continuous process.

"Subsequent to the collapse in Silkyara Tunnel on NH-134, an expert committee has been constituted by the government for investigation of the reasons for collapse of the tunnel and for recommendations in respect of SOPs to be followed in case of tunnel collapse/tunnel construction," he said.

The 41 workers, who were trapped in the tunnel from November 12, were rescued on November 28.

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) is constructing the tunnel through Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd.

Silkyara tunnel is a single-tube tunnel divided into two inter-connected corridors by a partition wall. Each inter-connector corridor can work as an escape passage for the other.

The 4.5-kilometre Silkyara tunnel project in Uttarakhand, which is part of the Centre's strategic 900-km 'Char Dham Yatra All Weather Road', aims to improve connectivity to the four holy towns.

Replying to a separate question, Gadkari said the Ministry of Road Transport and highways has formulated the vehicle scrapping policy that includes a system of incentives/disincentives for creation of an ecosystem to phase out older, unfit polluting vehicles in the country.

"As on November 30, 2023, a total of 44,852 vehicles have been scrapped at Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs)," he said.

Gadkari added that as on December 4, there are 42 RVSFs that are operational across 15 states/UTs in the country.

He also said the ministry is primarily responsible for the development and maintenance of National Highways.

"The National Highways network in the country has increased from about 91,287 km in March 2014 to about 1,46,145 km at present," he added.