OREANDA-NEWS. June 5, 2012. The new Obluchensky Tunnel was connected on May 29, 2012, in Obluchie-Ivestkovaya section of the Far-East Railway Line.

Speaking at the ceremony on the occasion of connection, Vladimir Krapivny, Chief Engineer, Far-East Railway Line, expressed his gratitude to the builders for the job well done. The tunnel was driven by drilling and blasting, and the tunnel total length is 860 meters.

The tunneling started in September 2011 from the western entry, and the face was worked over the entire cross-section (the upper and lower headings were driven at the same time). A total of 487 meters were driven by the time of connection. Operations of putting in place film waterproofing and installation of permanent lining reinforcement were started in May 2012, and the formwork for concreting was installed.

The tunneling from the east side started in November 2011, and a total of 368 meters were driven by the connection time in the upper (cap) part of the tunnel, with the driving of the lower heading (or stross) still remaining to be completed.

The old Obluchensky tunnel, which was built in 1915, will close for reconstruction in November 2013 after the new tunnel has been commissioned. This will allow for working without interrupting train operation in this section.

The following companies of SK MOST Group of Companies run operations on this project site: OJSC STROY-TREST, LLC Tonnelny Otryad No. 12 of Bamtonnelstroy, and CJSC Mostootryad No. 64.