Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Construction unit’s Heavy Civil Infrastructure Business has secured a construction contract from Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) in Uttarakhand, India.
L&T has classified the order as ‘large’ contract, which it indicates as worth between INR25bn ($340.8m) and INR50bn ($681.7m).
The contract has been awarded for package 4 work of a new broad-gauge line between Rishikesh and Karanprayag in Uttarakhand.
Under the contract, the business unit will be responsible for the construction of tunnels, formation, construction shaft, and other ancillary works from Chainage 47+360 to 63+117km between Rishikesh and Karanprayag.
The work on the project also includes construction of 14.577km upline and 13.123km downline tunnel with embankments of about 800m at both ends.
L&T said that 10.49 Km and 10.317km of tunnel, out of the total 14.577km and 13.123km of tunnel, will be excavated using two new hard rock Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) and the remaining will be excavated using New Austrian Tunnel Method (NATM).
Scope of the work under the contract also involves construction of an Ellipsoidal cum Ventilation Shaft in the finished cross-section of 79m2 and depth of 32m.
This is claimed to be the biggest TBM to be installed in the Himalayan region in India and the 807km-long TBM bored tunnel will be the longest for any project in the Himalayan region.
The whole project is scheduled to be completed within a strict timeline of 60 months.
L&T Civil Infrastructure whole time director and senior executive vice president SV Desai said: “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.”