Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel:
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways recently termed the breakthrough in the Silkyara bend-Barkot road tunnel a historic milestone, saying this transformative tunnel will save one hour of travel time.
- It is a 531 km long, two-lane bi-directional tunnel with an escape passage, located on the Dharasu-Yamunotri section in Uttarakhand.
- Barkot and Silkyara are the two ends of the tunnel.
- Part of NH-134 (formerly NH-94), the project is being constructed under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Mode.
- Around ninety percent of the tunnel is being excavated in phyllite, which is very weak rock.
- The New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) is used for the construction of the tunnel.
- NATM is a method of modern tunnel design and construction employing sophisticated monitoring to optimize various wall reinforcement techniques based on the type of rock encountered as tunnelling.
- Funded under the National Highway (Original) [NH(O)] Scheme of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, it is a key component of the ambitious Chardham Plan.
- It promises to cut travel time by about an hour and improve accessibility, particularly during adverse weather conditions.
- Yamunotri is just about 50 km from this tunnel. It will provide easy access to devotees to Badrinath and Kedarnath.
