Infrastructure major Larsen and Toubro’s (L&T) construction arm has secured a “large” order for its heavy civil infrastructure business from Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) for Package-4 of the new broad-gauge line between Rishikesh and Karanprayag in the State of Uttarakhand, India. The project's scope includes the 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 constructing a 14.577 km upline and 13.123 km downline tunnel with embankments of approximately 800 meters 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 meters and the balance using New Austrian Tunnel Method (NATM). The scope also includes the construction of an Ellipsoidal cum Ventilation Shaft in the finished cross-section of 79 sq m and a depth of 32 meters. This will be the biggest TBM to be deployed in India's Himalayan region, and the TBM bored tunnel length of 20.807 km will be the longest for any project in the Himalayan region. The entire project is to be completed within a stringent timeline of 60 months. S.V. Desai, Director & Senior Executive Vice President (Civil Infrastructure) said that establishing a rail link between Rishikesh and Karanprayag will not only facilitate easy access to Uttarakhand's pilgrimage sites, but also enable the development of backward areas, connect new trade centres, and serve the resident population. The railway line traverses the rugged Himalayan terrains, with the alignment oriented across and sometimes sub-parallel to major thrust zones in the Himalayas with complex geological conditions, said Desai. L&T is already constructing Package-2 of this prestigious project involving 24 km of tunnelling by the NATM, minor bridges and formation works. L&T project classificationClassificationSignificantLargeMajor>MegaValue (in cr)1,000 to 2,5002,500 to 5,0005,000 to 7,500>7,000Image Source