Chenani-Nashri Tunnel — An Engineering Marvel

The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is a single-tube bi-directional tunnel, with a 9.35-metre carriageway, vertical clearance of 5 metres, and a parallel escape tunnel with cross passages connecting to the main tunnel.

The 9.00 km Chenani-Nashri tunnel, India’s longest and safest tunnel, built in a record period of five years, will reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar by at least two hours. It was recently inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi, and opened for traffic.

Built at a cost of Rs.3,720 crore on the BoT annuity model, the tunnel is a part of the Jammu-Srinagar Highway’s four-laning project. Constructed between Udhampur and Ramban at an elevation of 1,200 metres on one of the most difficult terrains of the Himalayas, this all-weather route is not only India’s longest road tunnel but is also Asia’s longest bi-directional highway tunnel. A unique feature is that it is a single-tube bi-directional tunnel, with a 9.35-metre carriageway, and a vertical clearance of 5 metres. There is also a parallel escape tunnel, with cross passages connecting to the main tunnel at intervals of 300 metres.

🔒 This article is for subscribers only. Log in to read.

Subscribe for a Month @ ₹200/- Subscribe for a Year @ ₹1000/-