Salmiya new tunnel, how safe is it?
Posted by: Qaiss in Enviromental & Social Issues, Kuwait, up and aboutPassing by the construction area in salmiya and seeing the workers, work day and night in building what appears to be a new tunnel in salmiya to fix the congestion problem. I honestly like seeing such stuff because it makes me feel that Kuwait Municipality”Air heads” are planning for something. But whats my concern is that the company that got the tender project to build a tunnel, does it have such experience to do so, what similar projects it built before. I know every company has to start some where but what tunnels did any Kuwaiti company build? The Gazali brigde that looks close to some sort of tunnel and the one taking you to Kuwait Municipality”air heads” is British built or designed atleast. I can trust the British but not Kuwaitis. why i’m saying such thing because with Kuwait weather and high temperature you need certain control issue’s that must be dealt with. Example: if a car breaks down in mid of summer in the middle of the tunnel, then goes into flames, how long will the concrete hold against blazing fire. some thing else: what will happen if congestion starts in the tunnel, what did  the contractors doing in such scenario, if the ventilation stops below and no air flow is passing we can all die from CO gases build up. Is there a control room down in the tunnel, what about security camera’s, or how strong the ventilation system? why cant such information be given to the public to know and understand? Such incidents happened all over the world, what makes Kuwait so different?
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May 1st, 2007 at 2:25 am
I am wondering about the same thing. I wasn’t gonna go near that thing when it is done, until it has been tested and tested… I always think it’s gonna collapse!! Kinda like that bridge they built on the 4th R.R. when they removed that thrice-damned traffic light! I wouldn’t go near it
But it made a great difference.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:18 am
I honestly have not seen that tunnel yet, but i think you made some good points, although i dont think a company can build a tunnel like the one ur referring to without having these issues in consideration, however..in kuwait, everything is possible!
May 1st, 2007 at 6:54 am
Even though the company constructing the tunnel is Kuwaiti-owner (of course! nothing can’t be at least 50% Kuwaiti-owned, right?)… I’m sure the engineers and designers are expatriates of some kind, and one would hope, experienced.
I hadn’t thought of it before you mentioned it though… however well designed a tunnel may be in Kuwait, you can never design for the idiot drivers in this country – which counts for all nationalities, who have their own unique driving characteristics.
Imagine… rush hour.. traffic jammed up in the tunnel… some smart guy who usually uses the “emergency” lane of the highway decides to try to squeeze along the wall of the tunnel or between 2 cars…. Hmmmm, OK – now you’ve put the thought into my head, I’m not going NEAR that tunnel.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:35 am
okay folks, wala i’m not trying to scare anybody here, but this is Kuwait and nothing seams right these days, the whole system is collapsing, the problem is that there are no assurance from any part of the governmnet about such projects..as most of you know we are going to have a 3rd telecom company, but no regulating authority is provided for such companies…
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:19 am
no comment…i say 100% true
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:27 am
Maze: i hear yah!
May 3rd, 2007 at 2:46 pm
it’s also going to comically flood everytime it rains. qass ew lazzg walla this country is mashya 3alallah