MoRTH Mandates GSI Data Use for Safer Road Tunnels

16 Dec 2025 CW Team

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has directed that geological maps and National Landslide Susceptibility Mapping published by the Geological Survey of India must be consulted during alignment surveys for road tunnel projects to ensure safety and structural integrity.

In its guidelines on the prevention and mitigation of road tunnel collapses, the ministry said all critical contractual elements, including milestones, project scheduling, provisions for variations, risk-sharing mechanisms and force majeure clauses, must be clearly and unambiguously defined. This, it said, would help bring clarity to project execution and significantly reduce the scope for disputes.

The ministry emphasised that a comprehensive understanding of geological conditions at the planning stage is essential for designing resilient tunnel infrastructure, particularly in landslide-prone and geologically sensitive regions. It added that well-defined contractual frameworks would support smoother implementation and improve accountability across all stages of construction.

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