Hindustan Construction Company achieved a major break through of day-lighting the Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel, constructed in the rugged terrain of Pir Panjal Mountains in Jammu & Kashmir.

The tunnel is part of the ambitious Udhampur - Srinagar - Baramulla rail link project of Northern Railways. At 10.96 kilometers long, the Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel is India's longest and Asia's 2nd longest tunnel, aimed at reducing the travel distance between Quazigund to Banihal to only 11 kilometers and providing a hassle free travel up to Baramulla.

HCC was awarded the contract of Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel in August 2005 at a contract value of INR 391 crores. The engineering work included, construction of a tunnel having a finished width of 8.405 meters and height of 7.393 meter with a provision of 3 meter wide concrete road inside the tunnel throughout the length for maintenance & emergency relief purpose, and also construction of 772 meter long access tunnel section. Due to the changing geological strata of the young Himalayan rock, New Australian Tunneling Methodology was adopted for the construction.

Project Highlights In Brief

1. Longest Transportation Tunnel in India (1096 km).

2. Provision of 3 m wide concrete road inside the tunnel throughout the length (10.96 km) for maintenance & Emergency relief Purpose. This road is constructed adjacent to the railway track.

3. The Pir Panjal tunnel passes approx 440 m below the existing Jawahar Road Tunnel.

4. The alignment of Fir Panjal tunnel crosses the NH - 1A at three locations.

5. First large scale use of NATM method in India.

6. Usage of Road headers adopted for the first time in India.

7. Highest overburden of 1100 m

8. Usage of geotechnical Instruments for routine monitoring, assessing the stress redistribution and stabilization before final Lining.

9. The total Excavation Quantity is of 11 lacks cum. Rock bolting of 3,15,000 m.

10. Progressed Parallel activities (such as overt lining & excavation works) by introducing Invert Bridge.