Setting records is all in a day's work for L&T
Tunnelling records are hard to come by, simply because achieving them involves surmounting major challenges. Yet, L&T’s Heavy Civil Infrastructure (HCI) recently managed to set records in this arduous branch of construction.
WORLD RECORD
High in the Himalayas in Jammu & Kashmir, through an extraordinary exhibition of engineering expertise and dedication, L&T set a world record by accomplishing 46.596 RM (route metres) of tunnelling in a single day, and 628.65 RM in a month (December 2024) using a tunnel boring machine (TBM). The milestone was achieved using TBM Askini.
This is in connection with the construction of a headrace tunnel for the 1,000 MW Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project (HEP) in Jammu & Kashmir. A headrace tunnel is the structure that carries water from a source to a hydropower plant.
This surpassed the previous record, also set by TBM Askini, of boring 40.651 RM tunnel in a single day, and 444.95 RM in a month (November 2024). Thus, in two consecutive months, the TBM managed to tunnel 1,073.6 RM, demonstrating the remarkable capabilities and collaboration skills of L&T teams.
What made this accomplishment even more noteworthy were the tough geological conditions and logistical complexities faced during this task.
L&T’s scope for the project encompasses engineering, procurement and construction of two headrace tunnels, each 7.35 km long.
INDIA RECORD
Another HCI team, undertaking Package-2 of the Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Railway Project in Uttarakhand, completed 359.3 metres of tunnel reinforced cement concrete (RCC) lining with a single 12.1 metre gantry in January 2025. This set a record in the tunnelling industry and considered the best progress in India so far.
Key highlights of this achievement include:
- 1,337 metres of in-situ final RCC lining using four main tunnel gantries and two escape tunnel gantries – marking the highest progress achieved so far across the 10 packages of the project. As of January, 15.7 km of final lining out of 28 km has been completed.
- 1,003 metres of RCC lining in just 24 days. A single 12.1-metre gantry achieved a record 359.3 metres of RCC lining in the escape tunnel, surpassing all records in India. Also, 354 metres of RCC lining were completed in the main tunnel by a single 12.1-metre gantry, setting another benchmark.
- 26.4 km of New Austrian Tunnelling Method excavation has been completed as of January, out of the total 26.6 km – L&T’s highest excavation progress to date.
Achieving the twin records required meticulous planning and execution, overcoming various challenges, including geological surprises. It demonstrates L&T’s critical expertise and commitment towards projects despite challenging conditions.
