New Delhi: The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCI) has completed construction of the world's first electrified rail tunnel that is fit to run double-stack containers through Aravalis in Sohna on Friday.
The work on this one-km tunnel on Western Dedicated Freight Corridor was completed in less than a year despite the COVID pandemic. The tunnel is located on the Rewari-Dadri section of the corridor.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Anurag Sachan, Managing Director, DFCCI said, "This tunnel is completely safe. With this, the construction work of DFCCI will go ahead very fast and will be completed by 2023. Only freight trains will be operational on this railway block, which will also improve the schedule of mail/express trains."
"The special thing about this tunnel is that a separate arrangement has been made for drainage here. This will not cause waterlogging problems. Drains are built inside of the tunnel. Also, overhead electrification (OHE) wire, catenary and dropper assembly have been connected to tunnel sealing. The technique has been used in its construction," Sachan said.
"Geologically this tunnel is safe and stable as it is caved through 250 to 500 million-year-old proterozoic rocks which have a high bearing capacity. Double stack containers and 25-tonne axle load freight trains will run through this tunnel at a speed of 100 kmph," he said.
"For the movement of double steak trains, the tunnel has a dimension of 14.5 meters, height 10.5 meters in a straight porch with double line electrification track. The tunnel connects Mewat and Gurgaon district of Haryana and downhill slope of the Aravalli range," Sachan informed.
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