Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Broad Gauge Rail Link Project advanced with the longest tunnel breakthrough spanning 14.57 km achieved by TBM Shakti at Tunnel No. 8 for Package 4 . The Tunnel No. 8 stretches between Devprayag and Janasu in Uttarakhand.
About TBM Shakti
The breakthrough was recorded by the state-of-the-art Single-Shield Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) named Shakti, which has a diameter of 9.11m. TBM Shakti is the largest TBM to be deployed in the Himalayan region.
The TBM Shakti was excavating at an average rate of 413 meters per month to complete the 10.4 km of the tunnel. Furthermore, the remaining 4.11 tunnel was completed through the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM)
Package 4
In Package 4, L&T is constructing India’s longest railway tunnel (14.5 km upline, 13.1 km downline). Package 2 includes 26.6 km of tunnel excavation, 28 km of tunnel lining, two railway bridges, one road bridge, and embankments.
Official Statements
Union Railway Minister Mr Ashwini Vaishnaw, in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Mr Pushkar Singh Dhami, stated, “a testament to India’s engineering strength and the commitment to enhancing railway infrastructure in even the most difficult terrains.”
“This significant breakthrough in one of the most challenging terrains, reflects our commitment and strong collaboration between our client RVNL,” said Mr S V Desai, Whole-Time Director & Senior Executive Vice President (Civil Infrastructure), L&T. “This milestone fosters a deep sense of collective achievement within our team, proving that with dedication and innovation, no challenge is insurmountable.”
About the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Line
The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Railway Line project spans 125 km, connecting which connects Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gauchar, and Karnaprayag across five Himalayan districts, reducing the travel time from seven hours to two and supporting the Char Dham Yatra.
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