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.
