Reimagining Tunnel Safety in the Himalayas: A Human-Centric Framework for Seismic Risk, Resilience, and Sustainability

Large-scale infrastructure developments demand significant financial investments, yet they can suffer extensive damage within moments when exposed to intense seismic activity. To address this, national disaster management agencies prioritize the development of resilient and sustainable infrastructure to mitigate the adverse impacts of earthquakes. This study focuses on conducting a comprehensive seismic microzonation of the Jammu Region (JR), situated in the northwestern Himalayan belt. The approach emphasizes seismic hazard assessment, with particular attention to site-specific characterization through geophysical field investigations. The seismic risk associated with the 345 km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) is evaluated, particularly concerning its operational capacity following seismic events. The outcome in terms of alignment assessments, offer valuable input for reviewing both existing and future tunneling initiatives. This work contributes to the advancement of earthquake-resilient and sustainable infrastructure planning in tectonically sensitive regions such as the Himalayas.