Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated India’s first Centre of Excellence for Tunnelling and Underground Construction at MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) in Pune. This marks a historic milestone for India’s infrastructure and tunnelling sector, positioning the country among a select few globally with dedicated training centres in this field.
The Centre is the result of a seven-year effort led by Prof. Dr. Sandeep Potnis, inspired by Dr. Rahul V. Karad’s 2017 vision of launching a world-class Master’s program in Tunnel Engineering at MIT-WPU. As part of international collaboration, MIT-WPU signed an MoU with Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria, following a delegation visit led by Prasad Khandekar and hosted by tunnelling expert Prof. Robert Galler.
Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a jumbo drill simulator (Sandvik), tunnel instrumentation, digital modelling tools, and core skill development systems—the Centre adopts a competency-based approach to training. It focuses on fast, cost-effective, and safe underground construction while addressing the global shortage of skilled professionals in the tunnelling sector.
This initiative is a major step forward in making India a global hub for tunnelling expertise and underground infrastructure development.
