Huge potential for Subsurface engineering in highway tunnels: Nitin Gadkari

NEW DELHI: There is huge potential for Subsurface engineering in highway tunnel projects specially in Jammu & Kashmir, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

There are about 20 tunnel projects currently being implemented in Jammu & Kashmir, which could absorb Subsurface engineers, the Road, Transport and Highways Minister said while inaugurating a School of Subsurface engineering by MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) here.

In his address Gadkari said, "With rapid urbanisation, there comes a need to have robust infrastructure. In India, we have seen the emergence of newer technologies which are addressing the infrastructure issues. Subsurface engineering is one such area, which will help in easing not just infrastructure issues but can help in many other domains".

The school will have a postgraduate course and will be available to students as a Certificate course (3 months), M Tech programme (2 Years) and PhD programmes.

"Students can apply for these courses both through online and offline media. The teaching pedagogy will be a blend of theory and practical training so that engineers will have hands-on exposure to the real world," as per a statement by MIT-WPU.

India is at a take-off stage in terms of its infrastructure and civil projects in sectors as diverse as transport to hydro power, MIT World Peace University Executive President Rahul Karad said.

"Even though there are professionals in this field, India is facing a dire deficit in terms of skill. We at MIT-WPU recognise this gap, and have therefore introduced this platform to formally teach subsurface engineering at this new school. All aspects of this course are at par with our international counterparts," he said.