Tunnelling & Underground Projects Sharing Risks & Responsibilities
Rakesh Kumar Khali, Project Director-Hydro, Hindustan Construction Company Limited, Mumbai, describes the type of risks involved in underground construction projects, gives important guidelines to the tendering authorities and contractors on the preparation and acceptance of contracts, and the possible consequences of major risk factors viz. financial, environmental, and managerial, that all the stakeholders must consider.
Underground space utilization is a rapidly growing trend in India as a number of underground projects are under execution and an equal number of them are in the pipeline awaiting their turn for tendering. These projects demand a particular type of construction and thus need extensive planning right from the tender stage until the final commissioning. Most of the risk factors are inherent in the construction and contract process and are indispensably relevant to tunnelling. Several vital risk factors, which are liable to influence the safety, quality, work schedule and ultimately the overall success of the project, have to be considered and analyzed.