Tunnelno.T-11of the Sivok - RangpoRailProject(SRRP),located in Kalimpong Dist., West Bengal, achieved a major milestone of breakthrough on the special day of 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on 23rd January, 2023.This is the sixth breakthrough of tunnels inthis project. However, in the context of the length, this is the first breakthrough of any tunnellonger than 3 km.
ThelengthoftheMainTunnelis3205m andofEvacuationTunnelis960m,locatedin between Tarkhola and Tumlangkhola in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. The Evacuation Tunnelconnecting the NH-10 and the Main Tunnel No. 11 was completed in December 2022.TheMainTunneltraversesthroughvulnerableandchallenginggeologicalandseismicconditionsof the Lesser Himalaya. Like all other tunnels in the SRRP, to counter vulnerability of thegroundmass,latestandmostsophisticatedtunnelingtechnology,i.e.,NewAustrianTunneling Method or NATM has been used here. A Swiss Consultancy team has been engaged for the tunnel design in this project and the execution teamincludestopclassandwellexperienced engineersfromIndia.
Theminingwork in the tunnel wasstartedonFebruary2020 aftercompletionofapproachroadsandportaldevelopmentalworkonbothsides.
This new rail link project connecting Sevoke (West Bengal) and Rangpo (Sikkim) isabout 45 kms long and is characterised by 14 nos. tunnels, 22 nos. bridges and 5 nos.stations. About 38 kms of the entire project alignment is passing through tunnels and it is tomention that 67% of tunnelling work has already been completed.This is one of theprestigiousongoingNationalprojectsinIndiaandoncompletionofthisproject,firsttimetheStateofSikkimwillbeconnectedvia railways.Atpresent all the activitiesrelated toconstructionoftunnels,bridgesandstationyardsaregoingonwarfootingbasistocompletetheproject at the earliest.
