PUNE: Work on the new, six-lane Khambatki tunnel on national highway 4 (NH-4) is going on in full swing and is expected to be completed in a year. Once the tunnel is completed, the S-shaped turn near the ghat - which has been declared a black spot by the highway police - will be eliminated.
Nitin Gadkari, union road transport and highways minister tweeted, “The new, six-lane tunnel at Khambatki ghat on the Pune-Satara highway is a twin tunnel with three lanes each and is currently under construction. The tunnel is going to enhance connectivity and most importantly, provide direct benefits to commuters through value-over-time (VoT) and value-over-cost (VoC) savings.”
“The average travel time from Pune to Satara and Satara to Pune through the Khambatki ghat is 45 minutes and 10 to 15 minutes, respectively. With completion of this tunnel, the average travel time will be reduced to five to ten minutes. The existing ‘S’ curve in the Satara to Pune direction will be completed soon which will lead to a drastic reduction in accident risks. It is expected to be completed by March 2023,” said Gadkari.
The total capital cost of the 6.43 km-long tunnel is approximately Rs926 crore. “After threading and benching work, both tunnels have been completed. Work on the pillar is going on in the valley and it will take around one year for completion,” said Anil Gorad, manager technical, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The tunnel will be a relief to thousands of commuters who travel daily between Pune and Satara as it will eliminate the ‘S’ bend which has a steep gradient. In 2018, 18 people lost their lives and 13 were injured after a speeding truck overturned. In 2021, seven vehicles collided in Khambatki ghat however there was no casualty.
{{/usCountry}}The total capital cost of the 6.43 km-long tunnel is approximately Rs926 crore. “After threading and benching work, both tunnels have been completed. Work on the pillar is going on in the valley and it will take around one year for completion,” said Anil Gorad, manager technical, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The tunnel will be a relief to thousands of commuters who travel daily between Pune and Satara as it will eliminate the ‘S’ bend which has a steep gradient. In 2018, 18 people lost their lives and 13 were injured after a speeding truck overturned. In 2021, seven vehicles collided in Khambatki ghat however there was no casualty.
{{/usCountry}}An official from NHAI said, “The tunnel will make the ghat passage safer than before; the work is going on in full swing now and the delay occurred because there was the issue of land acquisition. Due to the steep gradient, accidents used to happen. In the ghat section, traffic congestion is also one more problem which occurs now and then. Once the new tunnel is opened to the public, these issues will be solved.”
Project
Total length: 6.43 km
Cost of project: Rs926 crore
Expected deadline: March 2023