Why in News?
The Khambatki Ghat Tunnel is recently in the news because the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has reached the final stages of the 6-lane twin-tube tunnel project on the Pune-Satara highway (NH-48).
About
- One side of the tunnel has been opened for public trial operations and safety assessments, with a full inauguration expected in the first half of 2026
- Trial Operations: One tube of the new twin tunnel was opened to commuters for testing and safety evaluation.
- Near Completion: The project has achieved 86% physical progress and is on track for a formal opening by June 2026.
- Modernization: It is being hailed as a major transformation of a "historically congested and accident-prone" section of the Mumbai–Pune–Bengaluru corridor.
- Safety Milestone: The new route bypasses the hazardous "S-curve" in the ghat, which was previously responsible for approximately 30 accidents per year.
Technical Specifications
- Structure: A twin-tube tunnel with three lanes in each tube (six lanes total).
- Length: The overall project length is approximately 6.43 km, with the tunnels themselves being roughly 1.3 km long each.
- Cost: The total capital investment for the project is approximately ₹926 Crore.
- Capacity: Designed to handle nearly 1.5 lakh passenger car units (PCU) daily, meeting traffic needs for the next 25 years.
Advanced Safety Features
- Surveillance: Equipped with high-intensity CCTV cameras and speed monitoring systems linked to a centralized control room.
- Emergency Systems: Includes specialized ventilation systems, emergency escape passages, and clearly marked fire extinguisher points.
- Lighting: Features modern high-intensity LED lighting to eliminate previous issues with darkness inside the old tunnel.
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