Overview
- The state is abandoning the tunnel boring machine approach at the outlet after geological hurdles, with debris cleared and simultaneous drives planned from both ends.
- An NGRI VTEM Plus survey underpins plans for 3D monitoring and advance-warning systems to manage weak rock zones during excavation.
- Work will run round the clock in three shifts, JP Infra remains the executing agency, and an escrow account has been set up for project payments.
- Excavation has reached 13.94 km from the inlet and 20.4 km from the outlet, leaving about 9.8 km of the nearly 44 km tunnel to complete.
- The project targets irrigation for roughly 300,000 acres and drinking water for fluoride-affected communities, with the government pushing toward a December 2027 deadline.