New Delhi: Ircon International Limited (IRCON), a Miniratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways, said on Saturday that it has made a breakthrough blast in Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula Rail Link (USBRL). "On March 3, 2022, IRCON has taken a breakthrough blast in Tunnel No. 77 D, which is 2.65 KM long and is located at Village Bankoot in Ramban District. Earlier, excavation of the Main Tunnel of longest tunnel T49 of 12.76 Km in USBRL Project was completed on February 15, 2022. IRCON has also completed excavation of about 11 Km in the Main Tunnel of T-15, on January 18, 2022," said IRCON in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges.

The main tunnel of the USBRL project, T-49, is the longest tunnel of the Indian Railways.

"Execution of Tunnel T-77D was very challenging, due to low overburden, extremely poor geology conditions and social challenges as this tunnel crosses the residential area. With the completion of Tunnel T77D, the 15 Km Block section from Banihal to Arpinchala is through for further works," said the filing.

Out of 272-km length of Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL) project, 161 km has already been commissioned and operationalised. The work of the intervening stretch of 111 km between Katra Banihal is under progress at rapid pace, the Railways had said last month.

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