Latest news with #NewAustrianTunnellingMethod
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Indian Express
Samruddhi's defining feat is India's widest 8-km twin tunnel through the Ghats
An important element of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, whose final stretch was formally inaugurated on Thursday, is an 8-kilometre-long twin tunnel, the widest and fourth longest road tunnel in India, constructed by boring through tonnes of solid rock in the Western Ghats. Commuters currently using the Mumbai-Nashik Expressway must navigate the winding roads of Kasara Ghat. The stretch from Kasara to Igatpuri, covering 19 km, typically takes around 30 minutes, with vehicles climbing steep slopes through sharp bends. A Dream Turns into Reality… CM Devendra Fadnavis enjoyed a drive on the 'Hinduhrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg' along with DCM Eknath Shinde and DCM Ajit Pawar. This visionary project, and brainchild of CM Devendra Fadnavis himself, stands as a… — CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 5, 2025 The new twin tunnels, however, eliminates this strenuous journey. This twin-tube road tunnel, 8 kilometres in length and 17.61 metres in width, is the widest road tunnel in the country and the fourth longest by length. It reaches a height of 9.12 metres and allows traffic to bypass the steep Kasara Ghat, reducing travel time between Kasara and Igatpuri to just eight minutes. According to MSRDC officials, the tunnel was constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), which involved excavation through solid rock. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns between March 2020 and May 2021, the tunnelling work was completed within two years in October 2023. Along with the tunnel, 17 valley type that span 10.56 km, 21.12 km for both lanes, were also built. The longest among them is 2.28 km, which is located just after the Igatpuri tunnel ends towards the Mumbai side. To make these viaducts, engineers needed to construct piers up to 84 metres high, all this with the persistent challenges of hard rock formations in the valley and adverse weather conditions. The construction in narrow and windy valleys under monsoon conditions added safety issues for workmen, which was an additional responsibility for the MSRDC and other stakeholders. 'Excavations 40 metres deep were needed in many places and the high wind velocities made working on higher levels extremely risky. But by exacting engineering and severe safety guidelines, the constructions were finished on time,' a senior MSRDC official told The Indian Express. K Mallikharjuna Rao, business unit head, Hydro and Underground at Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, who carried out the work on the tunnel and viaduct for package 14 of the greenfield expressway said, 'We faced unprecedented rainfall that took a toll on our tunnel construction as well as impeded our efforts at Viaduct-II. Due to heavy showers and dense fog, visibility remained an issue. However, we used the best safety practices to enable a safe work environment.' Apart from the engineering marvel, the last phase has three new interchanges at Igatpuri, Khutghar and Amane facilitating regional connectivity for passenger as well as freight traffic. The opening of this section now makes the entire 701 km Samruddhi Mahamarg corridor open for public, putting Nagpur and Mumbai on an eight hour driving distance from each other.
The Print
6 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Odisha: Breakthrough of final tunnel on Khurda Road-Balangir rail line achieved
Tunnel No 2 (T2), with a length of 1,775 metres with a 2-degree curve, has been constructed in a new technological method called New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), the statement said. The breakthrough, or 'daylighting', was successfully achieved on Friday, marking the completion of excavation work across all seven planned tunnels in this strategic railway corridor, it said. Bhubaneswar, Jun 1 (PTI) The Khurda Road-Balangir new rail line project achieved a major milestone with the successful breakthrough of the final tunnel located between Buguda and Daspalla in Odisha's Nayagarh district, the East Coast Railway said in a statement. The ECoR said that T2 is the second-longest tunnel in Nayagarh district. It was constructed using advanced technology and tunnelling methods to overcome the challenging Eastern Ghats, setting a new benchmark in infrastructure execution for Indian Railways. With the completion of T2, the breakthrough of all seven tunnels in the 75-km stretch between Daspalla and Purunakatak has now been achieved, it said. The total length of all seven tunnels is 12.76 km, of which three tunnels are located in Nayagarh district and the remaining four in Boudh district. Construction of these tunnels involved tackling multiple complex challenges including highly variable soil and rock conditions and passing through wild zones, the statement added. The new railway line project spans 301 km and significant portions of the project — Khurda Road to Daspalla (106 km) and Balangir to Purunakatak (120 km) have been completed while the remaining stretch of 75 km from Purunakatak to Adhenigarh is under progress, it said. Completion of the final segment will establish seamless railway connectivity between eastern and western Odisha, bringing extensive benefits to both passenger and freight traffic. Once fully operational, the railway line will reduce travel time between Bhubaneswar and Balangir, improve access to education, healthcare, and markets, stimulate trade and regional development, and support freight movement across Odisha and beyond, the statement added. PTI BBM BBM ACD This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hans India
11-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Govt approves final survey for new railway line in Sikkim
Aiming to use rail connectivity for promoting tourism and generating employment in north-eastern states, the Railway Ministry has approved the final location survey for a proposed line from Melli to Dentam in Sikkim, said an official on Sunday. The proposed railway line, via Jorethang and Legship, promises to extend rail connectivity to western and southern regions of Sikkim and boost tourism and economic activities, he said. The proposed line, with an estimated length of 75 km as per the preliminary feasibility assessment, will improve connectivity as part of a strategic continuation of the ongoing Sivok-Rangpo railway project. The Sivok-Rangpo railway project is one of the crucial connectivity projects for the northeastern region and is expected to be completed by 2027. According to the Northeast Frontier Railway's website, the work for the Sivok-Rangpo project is going on in full swing to establish a railway connection between Sikkim and the rest of the country. The total length of the Sivok-Rangpo rail line project is 44.96 Km (41.55 km in West Bengal and 3.41 km in Sikkim). Out of the total length of 44.96 km, 38.623 km (86 per cent) is in the form of tunnels, 2.24 km (5 per cent) in Bridges and 4.79 km (9 per cent) in open cutting/filling of station yards. An official said the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) has been adopted for the construction of tunnelling works. The proposed line consists of 14 tunnels, with the longest tunnel of 5.30 km long and the shortest tunnel being 538 metres long. There are 13 major bridges and 10 minor bridges in the project. The project includes the construction of five stations -- Sivok, Riyang, Melli, Rangpo and one underground halt station, viz. Teesta Bazar. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 12,474 crore, according to the Northeast Frontier Railway's website. This is one of the prestigious ongoing National projects in India, and on completion of this project, first time, the state of Sikkim will be connected via railways. Once completed, this project will ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential commodities in Sikkim. It will also be possible to introduce long-distance train services from Sikkim to various parts of the country. Tourism and economic activities of the state will also get a great boost.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
L&T completes key phase in India's Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail link project
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has marked a significant milestone in India's infrastructure development by completing the breakthrough of what is stated as India's 'longest' railway tunnel. The Tunnel No. 8, spanning 14.57km on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag broad gauge rail link project, represents a milestone for the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a public sector undertaking under the Indian Ministry of Railways. The claimed breakthrough was accomplished using the 'largest' tunnel boring machine (TBM) in the Himalayan region, named Shakti, which comprises a 9.11m diameter. The TBM excavated an average of 413m per month, contributing to 10.4km of the tunnel's completion. The remaining 4.11km was constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). L&T's involvement in the RVNL's 125-km Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Railway Line project covers packages 2 and 4. This project is set to reduce travel time from seven hours to two, facilitating the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage across five Himalayan districts. In package 4, L&T is responsible for constructing the 14.5km upline and 13.1km downline of the railway tunnel. Additionally, package 2 includes work such as 26.6km of tunnel excavation, 28km of tunnel lining, the construction of two railway bridges, one road bridge, and various embankments. L&T Whole-Time director and civil infrastructure senior executive vice-president S V Desai said: 'This significant breakthrough in one of the most challenging terrains reflects our commitment and strong collaboration between our client RVNL. "This milestone fosters a deep sense of collective achievement within our team, proving that with dedication and innovation, no challenge is insurmountable." A $27bn Indian multinational enterprise, L&T operates in Engineering, procurement, and construction EPC projects, hi-tech manufacturing, and services across multiple geographies. Last month, L&T's Buildings & Factories vertical secured a significant contract in India from the Brigade Group. This contract, the largest residential project awarded to the business by a private client to date, involves the construction of residential and commercial towers in Hyderabad and Chennai, India. "L&T completes key phase in India's Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail link project" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Indian Express
22-04-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Significance of Railways completing breakthrough for India's ‘longest transport tunnel' in Uttarakhand
Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami witnessed the 'tunnel breakthrough' of tunnel no. 8 on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway in the Himalayas last week. It marked a major milestone towards what is slated to be the longest transport tunnel in India. A tunnel breakthrough is the point or moment when a tunnel being excavated from both ends finally connects, marking the completion of a critical phase of tunnel-building. Spanning a length of 14.58 km, tunnel no. 8, or the Janasu tunnel, falls on the Devprayag to Janasu stretch of the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line, an ambitious project of the Indian Railways. The breakthrough was completed on April 16 — almost 172 years since the first train in the country was operated between Mumbai and Thane on April 16, 1853. At present, the longest rail tunnel in India is 12.75 km long, between Khari and Sumber Stations on the Katra-Banihal Section of the Kashmir line or the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). The longest road tunnel is the Atal tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway, which is 9.02 km long. A major breakthrough achieved today. The tunnel boring machine has made it through the longest transportation tunnel (T-8) in India which is 14.58 km long. Rishikesh-Karnaprayag new line project. 📍Uttarakhand — Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) April 16, 2025 The significance Beyond the larger project, the breakthrough matters because it signifies the first successful tunnel boring machine (TBM) use in the Himalayan terrain and the first by the Indian Railways. TBM is a special machine for excavating tunnels through hard rocks. Unlike the blasting method, it reduces the disturbance to the surroundings and the cost of lining the tunnel. Along with TBM, the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) has also been used, involving controlled and small-scale excavation. NATM was earlier used for constructing tunnels on the Katra-Banihal section. The TBM has tunnelled 10.4 km in tunnel no. 8, with 4.11 km excavated through NATM. A senior official of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), which is executing the project, said they faced several challenges. 'The construction of a railway line in such a difficult terrain is always a challenge. First thing is the supply of all kind of material and machinery at a high altitude. The delivery of items must remain uninterrupted also so that that the critical works, such as this tunnel breakthrough, does not get affected. We have to ensure that Tunnel Boring Machine must navigate through difficult terrain and varying ground conditions without unscheduled stoppages, demanding high system reliability and responsive support. We faced major hurdle because on seasonal monsoon impacts such as landslide, road closures, etc. It is the 30 km long national highway through which the material was being supplied,' said the official. Overall, the Indian Railways have increased their tunneling activity. A total of 468.08 km of tunneling has been done since 2014, which is 3.7 times of the total 125 km of tunneling done till 2014, officials said. The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail link project is 125.20 km long. Of this, 104 km or 83 per cent of it is in the form of tunnels. It is a single-line broad-gauge network. The alignment has 12 new stations, 16 main tunnels and 19 major bridges covering five districts – Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag and Chamoli – in Uttarakhand. Rudraprayag line. Apart from the 16 main tunnels, the project will have 12 escape tunnels of 97.72 km length and 7.05 km long cross passages. The escape tunnels are built alongside the main tunnel to provide a safe passage for people to evacuate in an emergency, like a fire or accident. The project includes five important bridges, one each on the Ganga and the Chandrabhaga, and three bridges over the Alaknanda. The longest bridge in the project is Srinagar Bridge no. 9, which will be half a kilometre long. The highest bridge is the Gauchar Bridge, at 46.9 meters. One section of the project has been operational since 2020. A total of 5.7 km between the existing Virbhadra station and Yog Nagri Rishikesh station was commissioned in March 2020. A senior official of the Ministry of Railways said that out of the total target of constructing 213 km of tunnels, the work for 195 km is complete. Geologically, the tunnel predominantly traverses the Chandpur Formation of the Jaunsar Group. 'The principal rock unit is Chandpur Phyllite, which includes Quarzitic and Schistose Phyllite with Intercalations of Quartzite Rocks and presence of quartz veins. Another thing is the presence of heterogeneous rock conditions — ranging from poor to medium and hard rock — poses significant challenges for excavation and support,' said the official. Asked about when the project will become operational, the official said, 'The tunneling works in the project are targeted to be completed by December 2025. Track works, electrical, OHE (Overhead equipment) and S&T (Signal & Telecommunication) works have been planned and will commence soon.' Expected outcome While several environmental experts have raised concerns over tunnelling in the Himalayas, the railways said its objective is to provide connectivity to hilly areas to reduce travel time and cost. 'The objective of providing a Rail link between Rishikesh and Karnaprayag is to facilitate easy access to pilgrimage centres of Uttarakhand. It will connect new trade centres of Uttarakhand and develop the backward areas. The rail lines will reduce travel time and cost, and open up opportunities for industrial development, cottage industry in the area, boost the economy and tourism prospects in the state. It will connect important sites such as Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gauchar and Karnaprayag,' said a senior official of the Ministry of Railways.
