The construction arm of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured an order for its heavy civil infrastructure business from Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL).
The company has secured the contract for Package-4 of the new broad-gauge line between Rishikesh and Karanprayag in the state of 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 up line and 13.123 km down line tunnel with embankments of approximately 800 mtr at both ends.
Out of 14.577 km and 13.123 km of the tunnel, 10.49 km and 10.317 km of the tunnel will be excavated using two new hard rock tunnel boring machines (TBMs) of diameter 9.1 mtr 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 sq mtr and depth of 32 mtr.
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 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 resident population.
The value of the contract ranges between Rs 2,500 crore to Rs 5,000 crore.
The company is already constructing Package-2 of this project involving 24 km of tunnelling by NATM, minor bridges and formation works.