Mohinder Verma, deputy project manager, would perform the last blast of the tunnel to connect it between Nathpa and Sholdings ends. The construction of tunnel was started for two opposite sides which would be finally connected on Saturday.

The head race tunnel which is 5.679 km in length, from Chainage to Sholding Adit, is located in a geo-thermal zone, where continuous inflow of hot water ranging from 50 to 52 degree celsius, posed many construction and ventilation problems for the engineers and workmen. Large ventilation fans had to be installed at closed spacing to increase the air flow to mitigate the high temperature problem inside the tunnel. The alignment after the breakthrough was achieved with zero error, says a company release.

Continental foundation Joint Venture is executing the work of 63.0 meter high concrete gravity dam, 525.0 meter long desilting chambers and 16.0 km length of 10.15 diameter head race tunnel in the prestigious project. This will be the biggest hydel project of the country with largest size of desilting chambers in the world.