Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suggested the Ministry of Railways to build hybrid tunnels in mountains for railway lines which can also be used as a road. This came about last week when the Prime Minister was reviewing a railway project in Himachal Pradesh, which is expected to further link on to Manali and Leh. About seven tunnels are being built for the under-construction railway line from Bhanupali in Punjab to Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh.

Prime Minister Modi told the Railways Ministry that in future while making tunnels in hilly areas for railway projects, a hybrid system should be devised so that apart from railway track, tunnels can also be used as roads. Such road-rail tunnels shared by road and rail lines turn out to be more economical. No such tunnel exists presently in India while some exist abroad.

India has, however, constructed long road and rail tunnels separately in the mountainous regions, like the 8.8 km long Atal Highway Tunnel near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh and the 11-km-long Pir Panjal Railway tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir.

News Source : Construction World