The construction arm of L&T has secured a large order for its Heavy Civil Infrastructure business from Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL) for Package 4 of the New Broad-Gauge Line between Rishikesh and Karanprayag in Uttarakhand. The scope of the project includes construction of tunnels, formation, construction shaft, and other ancillary works from Chainage 47+360 to 63+117 km between Rishikesh and Karanprayag.
The project involves the construction of 14.577 km upline and 13.123 km downline tunnel with embankments of approximately 800 meters at both ends. Out of 14.577 km and 13.123 km of tunnel, 10.49 km and 10.317 km of tunnel will be excavated using two new hard rock Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) of diameter 9.1 meters and the balance using New Austrian Tunnel Method (NATM). The scope also includes construction of an Ellipsoidal cum Ventilation Shaft in the finished cross-section of 79 square meters and depth of 32 meters. This will be the biggest TBM to be deployed in the Himalayan region in India and the TBM bored tunnel length of 20.807 km will be the longest for any project in the Himalayan region. The entire project is to be completed within a stringent timeline of 60 months.
“Establishing a rail link between Rishikesh and Karanprayag will not only facilitate easy access to Uttarakhand’s pilgrimage sites, but also enable development of backward areas, connect new trade centres, and serve the resident population. The railway line traverses rugged Himalayan terrains, with the alignment oriented across and sometimes sub parallel to major thrust zones in the Himalayas with complex geological conditions,” said S V Desai, Whole Time Director & Senior Executive Vice President (Civil Infrastructure).
L&T is already constructing Package 2 of this prestigious project involving 24 kms of Tunnelling by the NATM, minor bridges and formation works.
