India’s first censor-based tunnels to come up in J&K

Jammu, Feb 04: India’s first censor technology-based two high-tech tunnels are coming up in J&K – at Banihal and Ramban – in the landslide-prone areas, officials said on Saturday. They informed that these two tunnels besides ensuring the utmost safety of the people will also ensure all-weather connectivity of J&K with the rest of the country.
“In India, this is for the first time that we are using and relying on the censor-based technology in these two tunnels in J&K,” the Regional Director National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Rohin Gupta, told Rising Kashmir. “The censors will not only be used during construction of these two tunnels but will also be installed in the tunnels after their completion.”
He said the censor-based tunnel on the national highway at Banihal will be 4.25 km in length, while the other censor-based tunnel coming up on the national highway at Ramban will be 4.5 km in length.
“The work of around 300 meters in one of these tunnels has been completed, while the work on another tunnel has just been started,” the NHAI Regional Director further informed.
During the construction of these tunnels, censors provided real-time information i.e. minute-by-minute information with pictures about the possible threats of collapse ahead, loose pockets ahead, where-is-water ahead, and where to divert accordingly in respect of construction.
All this can be monitored 24×7 in the control room with the help of censors and action can be taken within minutes. This is for the first time that censor-based technology will help to avoid disasters during the construction of tunnels in hilly areas. This will also be for the first time in India that censor technology will be used in the operational tunnels to avoid disasters, sources said.
“Once these two tunnels are thrown open for vehicular movement, the censors in the tunnels will capture minute-by-minute information regarding repairs required, any possible damage besides earth’s disturbance/movement beneath the tunnels,” Gupta informed. “The censors will give real-time information about the disturbances/movement and changes going on beneath the tunnels – upto the depth of tunnels’ foundation i.e. the depth of tunnels’ iron rods (Saria).”
Apart from this, the censors will also help in giving protection to the tunnels with all valuable information with pictures and minute-by-minute information of roads and slopes on both sides of the tunnels.
The Regional Director further said that it will take around two years for the completion of these two tunnels which have been strategically proposed in the landslide and shooting stone-prone areas as vehicular movement on the national highway often remains suspended due to inclement weather.