Archive · 12 Aug 2026
India's first 8-lane tunnel in Kota waterlogged; NHAI admits design flaw
A very big tunnel in India got water inside it after heavy rain.
The tunnel is under a tiger reserve and is part of a huge highway.
Water came into the tunnel because the pumps were not strong enough.
Rain made water leak in from the forest above.
The water made cars slow down and caused traffic jams.
Workers used pumps to take the water back out.
The people in charge said the tunnel design was not good enough for so much rain.
They are now putting in bigger and stronger pumps.
This tunnel is special because it is the first eight-lane road tunnel in India.
It was built so animals can walk on top while cars drive below.
Heavy rainfall over two days caused waterlogging and seepage in the Mukundra Hills Tunnel in Kota, severely impacting traffic for over one and a half hours.
An NHAI official acknowledged shortcomings in the tunnel's design pre-assessment, citing inadequate pumping capacity as the primary reason.
The tunnel, India's first eight-lane road tunnel, is a 4.9-km link on the 1,386-km Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and cost around Rs 12.50 crore.
About 1 to 2 feet of water accumulated over a kilometre-long middle stretch, with vehicles being allowed through one by one to keep traffic moving.
The tunnel was opened on a trial basis for all vehicles on July 27 and was built under the tiger reserve to protect wildlife and the forest ecosystem.
- Who
- National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, including Kota Project Director Sandeep Agrawal, along with police personnel and engineers.
- What
- Waterlogging and seepage inside the Mukundra Hills Tunnel triggered traffic congestion; NHAI admitted the installed pumping capacity was insufficient.
- When
- After two days of heavy rainfall, with the NHAI official acknowledging the flaw on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
- Where
- The 4.9-km Mukundra Hills Tunnel beneath the Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota, on the Delhi-Vadodara section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.
- Why
- The original design assessment proved inadequate: seepage water entering the tunnel exceeded the installed pumping capacity during extreme weather.
- Tunnel
- Mukundra Hills Tunnel, India's first eight-lane road tunnel
- Length
- 4.9 km
- Location
- Beneath Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve, Kota
- Part of
- 1,386-km Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (built at Rs 95,000 crore)
- Tunnel cost
- Around Rs 12.50 crore
- Opening
- Trial basis for all vehicles on July 27
- Water accumulation
- 1 to 2 feet over a kilometre-long middle stretch
- Pumping capacity
- 260 HP installed, 130 HP standby; being enhanced