Overview
- About 20 metres were excavated from the outlet side in the past week, with seven drill-and-blast cycles completed and crews and equipment mobilised.
- At the inlet, crews are preparing a 20-metre open cut with additional supports before resuming drives.
- Specialised ventilation and electrical equipment is being imported to manage air quality and power deep inside the tunnel and to accelerate excavation.
- Following the February 22, 2025 roof collapse near the inlet, the project shifted to observation-led methods with stricter safety protocols and a dedicated monitoring division.
- Officials are targeting tunnel breakthrough in 2027 and full commissioning by June 2028, with added expertise from Army engineers, Singareni mining safety specialists and third-party quality control.