Thrissur: The work of the left tunnel of the first ever twin tube tunnels being drilled through the Kuthiran Ghat on the six-lane toll highway between Mannuthy in Thrissur and Vadakkencherry has gone upto 178 meters. For the second tunnel (right tunnel) the work is yet to take off in full swing due to the possibility of landslides on the top of the tunnel. The length of both the tunnels will be one kilometre. On Friday, a portion of the hillock above the right tunnel came sliding down and the work was stopped.
Krishnam Raju director of Mumbai-based Prakrithi Engineering told DC that there would be three interlinking tunnels connecting the twin tunnels after every 250 meters of the tunnels. “The arch like frames called ‘ribs’ are at present erected in both the tunnels and ‘shortcrete’ mixed with cement, sand and small chips will be pumped above and below the frame for reinforcement,” he added. The sub-contractor Prakrithi Engineering has at present deployed 200 skilled workers at the site where work is going on around the clock.
The entire project will be completed by January next year, the director of the private company doing the constructing work said. After the tunnel works, electrification of the tunnel will be done along with installation of exhaust ducts for proper air circulation, company officials said. A total of 4 lakh tonnes of rocks taken out of the tunnel will be used for the Highway works by the main contractor KMC.
