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India's first eight-lane highway tunnel constructed beneath a tiger reserve is expected to become fully operational in August after ongoing safety trials and technical evaluations are completed. Located beneath the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan's Kota district on the Delhi-Vadodara section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the 4.9-km twin-tube tunnel has initially been opened for cars and emergency vehicles. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said the tunnel has been designed to preserve wildlife movement by routing traffic underground while reducing travel distance and improving connectivity. Authorities will permit all vehicle categories only after completing safety system and mobile network assessments.
India's first eight-lane highway tunnel built beneath a tiger reserve is expected to open to all categories of vehicles in August, marking a key milestone in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project. The 4.9-km twin-tube tunnel, located beneath the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) in Rajasthan's Kota district, has already been opened for cars and emergency vehicles following the completion of initial safety inspections, while comprehensive testing and remaining technical work continue.
According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), safety trials involving light vehicles are currently underway. Heavy vehicles and all other traffic will be allowed only after authorities complete additional evaluations of the tunnel's safety systems, communication infrastructure and mobile network connectivity.
NHAI Project Director Sandeep Agrawal said the tunnel beneath the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway had been opened for light vehicles as part of phased operations. He stated that although the civil construction has been substantially completed, work on internal systems is continuing alongside regular testing. Subject to directions from the Union Ministry, the tunnel is expected to be fully operational for all categories of vehicles in August.
Officials said the tunnel has been constructed entirely beneath the tiger reserve to minimise disruption to wildlife movement and protect the surrounding forest ecosystem. By diverting highway traffic underground, the project allows animals to move freely across the landscape without interference from vehicles, reflecting an approach that integrates transport infrastructure with wildlife conservation.
The tunnel comprises twin tubes, each carrying four traffic lanes, making it India's first eight-lane tunnel beneath a wildlife sanctuary. NHAI said specialised engineering techniques were adopted during construction to minimise ecological disturbance while maintaining high standards of road safety and operational efficiency.
The project took more than four years to complete, with engineers addressing complex geological conditions and environmental constraints while complying with conservation requirements. Wildlife corridors within the reserve have been preserved to ensure uninterrupted movement of tigers and other species inhabiting the protected area.
Once the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway becomes fully operational, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel distance through the reserve by nearly 25 km, contributing to shorter journey times on the Delhi-Vadodara section. According to officials, the overall travel time between Delhi and Vadodara could decline from approximately 20–22 hours to around 10–12 hours.
An NHAI official said phased commissioning would continue until all safety features, including communication systems and emergency response mechanisms, had been fully validated. The tunnel is expected to open to all categories of vehicles after the completion of these assessments, most likely after July 31 and on any day during August. Officials described the project as an important example of integrating high-speed transport infrastructure with wildlife conservation while maintaining ecological continuity within the protected reserve.
Source - PTI
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