In my conversation with Dr. Manoj Verman, widely known as the “Tunnel Man of India,” on The Bridging Room Podcast by Brenman, we spoke about tunnelling, the current state of the industry in India, and what the future could look like as the country continues to expand its infrastructure.
One thought that stayed post our conversation was the fact that India is entering a golden period for tunnelling, and we need to make the most of it.
Countries across Europe and the United Kingdom have been building tunnels for decades. Over time, they have developed the expertise, technologies and specialised workforce needed to take on increasingly complex underground projects. Their experience has been built project by project, with each undertaking adding to the knowledge gained from the ones before it.
India is now at a stage where the need for tunnelling is growing. From highways and railways cutting through mountainous terrain to metro networks beneath crowded cities and underground infrastructure for major transport corridors, the opportunities are expanding. As the country takes on more challenging projects, the demand for people who understand the science and practice of tunnelling will grow alongside it.
1. Why Does India Need More Tunnelling Expertise?
Tunnelling is a specialised field, and it comes with challenges that are not always visible before construction begins. Rock conditions can vary, groundwater can create unexpected difficulties, and the geology encountered during excavation may differ from what was anticipated during planning.
Addressing these challenges requires engineers who understand geology, rock mechanics, underground construction, instrumentation and risk management. It also requires experience and the ability to make sound decisions when conditions on site change.
As India undertakes more tunnelling projects, we need more professionals who understand this field. We need young engineers to consider tunnelling as a career, universities to encourage deeper learning and research, and organisations to provide opportunities for practical experience.
Equally important is the knowledge held by experienced professionals who have spent decades working on underground projects. Their understanding of what can go wrong, how to respond to unexpected conditions and how to make informed decisions is invaluable. Passing this knowledge on to the next generation will be an important part of strengthening India's tunnelling capabilities.
2. Why Is This the Right Time for India?
India's infrastructure development is opening up opportunities to undertake projects that would have been far less common in the country a few decades ago. As transport networks expand and projects reach more challenging terrain, tunnelling is becoming an increasingly important part of infrastructure planning.
This is where India has an opportunity to learn from countries that began building underground infrastructure much earlier. We can draw on their experience while developing methods and expertise suited to our own geology, terrain and project requirements.
But this opportunity needs to be supported by investment in people, research, planning and execution. Better ground investigations, appropriate technology, strong safety practices and sound engineering decisions must be part of the process.
The projects being undertaken today can help Indian engineers gain the experience needed to handle more complex projects in the future. Each project is an opportunity to learn, improve and build a stronger foundation for the industry.
3. A Golden Period for Tunnelling and Indian Engineers
For young civil and geotechnical engineers, this is a field worth paying attention to. Tunnelling brings together several disciplines and offers the opportunity to work on some of the most challenging problems in infrastructure.
As the industry grows, India will need more engineers willing to specialise in underground construction, understand the ground beneath a project and contribute to solving complex engineering problems.
That expertise will take time to develop. It requires education, practical exposure, mentorship and a willingness to learn from both successful projects and difficult experiences.
My conversation with Dr. Manoj Verman reinforced the importance of looking beyond the infrastructure being built today and thinking about the people who will build India's underground infrastructure tomorrow.
We have an opportunity not only to expand our tunnelling infrastructure, but also to develop the expertise and experience that will allow Indian engineers to take on increasingly complex projects with confidence.
India's golden period for tunnelling is also an opportunity for its engineers. The question is whether we will use this moment to build the knowledge and capabilities that the industry will need for decades to come.
The full episode of The Bridging Room Podcast is live now. Watch the conversation below to learn more from one of India's most experienced voices in tunnelling.
