Tunnel And Underground Space Indian Scenario and Way Ahead

With 480+ km of road tunnels. 300 km of metro tunnels. 2,300+ km of hydro tunnels. 85+ TBMs, a `11 lakh crore infrastructure pipeline, India’s underground construction sector is entering a decisive growth phase. In this article, R.K. Dhiman, President, Tunnelling Association of India, highlights how accelerating project pipelines, improved project management, increasing mechanisation, evolving safety frameworks, and the shift towards advanced tunnelling technologies are shaping a more resilient and future-ready industry—positioning India to build a world-class underground construction ecosystem despite complex geology and execution challenges.

Introduction

India's geography — the vast Himalayan massif in the north, the Deccan plateau in the south, and densely urbanised coastal plains — has historically posed formidable challenges to surface transport and infrastructure connectivity. Tunnels, once considered extraordinary engineering achievements, are today recognised as essential, often indispensable, components of infrastructure planning across every sector: road, rail, hydro, metro, defence, and utilities.

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

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