Tunnel excavation suspended along Jammu-Srinagar highway after cracks appear

Ramban/Jammu: The excavation work for the Mehar tunnel along the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway has been suspended due to the development of 'pressure and bulges' on its sidewalls, officials said on Monday.

The construction of the 780-metre C-type tunnel started over one-and-a-half years ago to bypass the slide-prone Mehar-Cafeteria stretch in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district.

The excavation work on the Cafeteria Morh side of the tunnel was suspended in June this year after its mouth was damaged by a massive landslide. Nearly 400 metres of excavation work has been completed so far.

An official of DMR Construction, which is carrying out the construction work, said for the safety of the workers, the excavation work was suspended after "pressure and bulges" were noticed on the side walls.

"All machinery and manpower were withdrawn from the tunnel project on December 12. The company has informed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and joint teams of experts and designers are likely to visit the tunnel for a thorough investigation," said Vinay Kumar, a senior official of DMR Construction.

The work on broadening the Jammu-Srinagar national highway into a four-lane road started in 2011. The project has already missed several previous deadlines due to the sluggish pace of work.