Workers build huts in the forest, remove plugs to open the railway line through Khe Net Pass

Concentrate on construction before the flood season

The Khe Net tunnel project will upgrade and renovate 2.4km of railway; shift a new line of nearly 4.4km; renovate and add track number 3 at Dong Chuoi station; renovate 2 bridges with a total length of 117.61m; build 3 new bridges with a total length of 0.96km; build 2 new tunnels with a total length of 1.39km... along with other synchronized signal information systems.

Engineer Nguyen Duy Song (born in 1984, Deo Ca Group) said: "When completed, the project will shorten the current railway line by nearly 2km, cutting train travel time in half. In particular, it will avoid the "light bulb" shaped curve that always threatens train safety."

The Khe Net railway upgrade and renovation project site is located precariously on the top of a pass, amidst vast hills and mountains, making construction very difficult.

"At the construction site, there are about 150 officers and workers divided into 3 construction teams, including: one team working on the North gate of tunnel No. 1, which is lowering the roof; one team working on the service road No. 3 connecting the 2 tunnels; Team No. 3 reinforcing the South gate of tunnel No. 2...", engineer Song added.

While operating the excavator to lower the tunnel's roof, worker Nguyen Tien Hung (from Ninh Binh) shared: "The weather here is very unfavorable, the erratic sunshine and rain greatly affect the construction implementation, especially the organization of the construction of tarpaulin on the slopes of mountains and hills.

After each rain, we have to wait 2-3 days for the sun to shine before we can move the machine to the top of the hill. This is the most difficult, arduous and dangerous step, because if we are not careful, accidents can easily happen during the moving and construction process.

Everywhere on the construction site, PV witnessed people and machines digging, cutting mountains, and clearing passes. Although the work was hard, in the middle of the deep forest, the workers were always diligent and optimistic.

After 2 months of implementation, the contractor Deo Ca Group has completed the concrete mixing station system, warehouse, and worker camps.

According to the leader of the Railway Management Board under the Ministry of Transport (representing the investor), the project consists of two packages. Package one is to build two railway tunnels 935m long, implemented in 23 months by the joint venture of Ilsung Company - Deo Ca Group. Of which, the first tunnel is 620m long, the second tunnel is 393m long, tunnel gauge is 10m, designed according to the standards of level I railway tunnels.

Package two is for the construction of bridges, railways, signal and information works and the remaining works are carried out by the joint venture Ilsung - Railway Construction Corporation (RCC), construction will take 22 months.

"This is the dry season, we ask contractors to focus on overtime and extra shifts to complete the lower part before September to avoid flash floods in mountainous areas.

We have also worked with and requested local authorities to facilitate the speedy clearance of land related to 23 households, of which 10 households must be resettled," informed engineer Trieu Minh Dong, an officer of the Railway Project Management Board.

Overcoming difficulties to maintain progress

Khe Net Pass is a section located precariously on a high hilltop, more than 10km long, connecting Huong Hoa and Kim Hoa communes in Tuyen Hoa district, Quang Binh province. The pass has 43 dangerous curves.

To reach Khe Net, the reporter had to cross more than 60km of mountain pass with dozens of overlapping "hairpin bends" on National Highway 12C and National Highway 15.

The construction team is building access roads to the tunnel entrances. Tunnel drilling is expected to begin at the end of May.

According to engineer Song, during the construction process, the project encountered many difficulties, especially unfavorable weather, and could only be completed about 6 months a year.

The construction site is quite far from residential areas, and the unstable phone signal makes the workers' living conditions difficult.

In addition, the project passes through natural forests and requires conversion, which takes a long time and affects progress.

Machines are stripping the body and lowering the core at tunnel door number 1.

Engineer Song recalled that when starting to arrange the work, everyone shook their heads because of the precarious position on the top of the pass, arranging the camp and the operating house encountered countless difficulties.

"During the first few weeks, because there was no electricity grid, we had to use generators for workers to work and live. Because it was far from residential areas, goods had to be transported from Dong Le town (20km from the construction site) for use," said engineer Song.

Regarding material sources, Mr. Song said that construction units had to find sources everywhere around because nearby quarries had insufficient reserves and poor quality.

Despite the difficulties, after only 2 months of construction, the project has completed parts such as warehouse, wharf, worker camp, and concrete mixing station.

Currently, the construction teams are digging and lowering the roof of the tunnel. It is expected that in mid-May, tunnels No. 1 and No. 2 will be drilled.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/cong-nhan-dung-lan-trong-rung-bat-nut-mo-duong-tau-xuyen-deo-khe-net-192240511132900092.htm