VIENTIANE: Xiang Ngeun No. 3 Tunnel, the last tunnel along the China-Laos Railway in Luang Prabang Province, some 210 km north of Lao capital Vientiane, was drilled through on Tuesday.
So far, all the 75 tunnels across the China-Laos Railway have been holed. The successful completion of the tunnels indicates that the controlling factors affecting the China-Laos railway project have basically been removed.
It also indicates that the China-Laos Railway is shifting from the large-scale civil engineering stage to station construction and installation, to the preparation for operation and management.
The China-Laos Railway crosses the Mekong River twice, passing through two some-60-km tropical forest mountain areas, with complex geology and harsh construction environment such as steep terrain, turbulent rivers, broken rock formations, frequent water and mud inrush in tunnels.
According to the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd., a joint venture based in Vientiane responsible for the construction and operation of the railway, since the start of construction in December 2016, all participating engineering firms from China and Laos have overcome difficulties in organizing construction resources and in materials and equipment supply. However, the participants have managed to promote the project, especially when facing the risks of the COVID-19 epidemic, coordinating the deployment of construction resources, refining and optimizing construction organization. – Agencies
