A double-shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) works at a construction site of the Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project in Sindhuli, Nepal, Oct. 14, 2022. A TBM was put into operation on Friday, marking a new phase for the construction of a 13.3-kilometer tunnel under Nepal's Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project. (Xinhua)
KATHMANDU, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- A double-shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) was put into operation on Friday, marking a new phase for the construction of a 13.3-km-long tunnel under Nepal's Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project.
Pampha Bhusal, Nepal's minister for energy, water resources and irrigation, inaugurated the TBM operation together with the project manager.
Listed by the Nepali government as a national pride project, the project is aimed at diverting water from the Sunkoshi River to the Marin River through the tunnel to irrigate 122,000 hectares of farmland in the districts of Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rauthat and Bara in the Terai Plains.
In addition, a powerhouse will be built to generate 28.62 megawatts of electricity to alleviate the shortage of power supply in the area.
The project in Sindhuli district is being undertaken jointly by China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd and China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group Co. Ltd, which had completed Nepal's Bheri Babai tunnel construction project with TBM. ■