THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Konkan Railway, responsible for building the 9.5 km railway tunnel to Vizhinjam port, has received Rs 96.2 crore as its first instalment. This has allowed the tender process to begin. The Vizhinjam Port Company will review and approve the tender documents after an expert examination. Within three months, the contract for the construction will be awarded. The tunnel is expected to be completed in 45 months.

The funds come from a Rs 2,100 crore loan provided by NABARD. Rs 243.08 crore was allocated to the Southern Railway Construction Department for constructing a railway yard at Balaramapuram station and two parallel tracks. Additionally, Rs 170 crore was handed over to the District Collector for purchasing 11.5 acres of private land to connect the main line with the tunnel.

The construction near the port will use cut-and-cover technology on one acre of private land acquired at the tunnel's endpoint. After construction is finished and the land covered, it will be returned to its owners. They can then use it for purposes like building an auditorium, gym, or parking facility. The beachfront land owned by the Revenue Department will also be handed over for tunnel-related purposes. A total of 11.5 acres of land will be acquired at both ends of the tunnel.

Safety Assurances

1. The tunnel will be constructed using the safest method, called the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. It avoids blasting rock and soil and concretes the drilled area without much delay.

2. For reference, the Delhi Metro successfully operates 145 km of tunnels beneath ancient buildings in Old Delhi. Across India, metro systems include 400 km of tunnels out of a total of 1,000 km of metro track.

3. The method used for the Vizhinjam tunnel is safe, even if the tunnel passes beneath houses and buildings. It will have a 10-metre diameter, including its concrete walls.

4. The tunnel won't cause landslides, floods, or drinking water shortages. Roads and buildings can be constructed above it. Environmental clearance for the project was granted after studies conducted by six central institutes.

Key Facts

Total tunnel cost: Rs 1,482.92 crore

Total road length: 10.7 km