Workers erected shelters in the forest and paved the way for the railway line through Khe Net Pass.

Focus construction efforts before the rainy season.

The Khe Net Pass tunnel project will upgrade and renovate 2.4km of railway; relocate nearly 4.4km of new track; 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 signaling and communication systems.

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

The Khe Net railway upgrade and renovation project site is perched precariously on the mountain pass, amidst vast hills and mountains, making construction extremely difficult.

"There are about 150 staff and workers on the construction site, divided into 3 construction teams, including: one team working on the northern entrance of tunnel No. 1, currently lowering the roof; one team constructing service road No. 3 connecting the two tunnels; and team No. 3 reinforcing the southern entrance of tunnel No. 2…," engineer Song added.

While operating an excavator to lower the roof of the tunnel entrance, worker Nguyen Tien Hung (from Ninh Binh province) shared: "The weather here is very unfavorable, with unpredictable sunshine and rain greatly affecting the construction work, especially the organization of leveling the mountain slopes and hills."

After each rain, we have to wait 2-3 days for sunny weather before we can move the machinery to the top of the hill. This is the most difficult, arduous, and dangerous stage, because if we are not careful, accidents can easily happen during transportation and construction."

Walking around the construction site, the reporter witnessed scenes of people and machinery digging, leveling mountains, and clearing passes everywhere. Although the work was arduous and in the middle of a deep forest, the workers were always diligent and optimistic.

After two months of implementation, the contractor, Deo Ca Group, has now completed the concrete mixing plant, warehouse, and worker's camp.

According to the leaders of the Railway Management Board under the Ministry of Transport (representing the investor), the project consists of two packages. Package one involves the construction of two railway tunnels, each 935m long, to be completed in 23 months by the joint venture of Ilsung Company and Deo Ca Group. The first tunnel is 620m long, the second is 393m long, with a 10m width, designed according to Class I railway tunnel standards.

Package two, which includes the construction of bridges, railways, signaling systems, and other remaining works, is being implemented by the Ilsung - Railway Construction Corporation (RCC) consortium and will take 22 months to complete.

"Currently, it is the dry season, so we are asking contractors to focus on working overtime and extra shifts to complete the substructure before September to avoid flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas."

"We have also worked with and requested the local authorities to facilitate the acceleration of land clearance for 23 households, including 10 households that need to be relocated," said engineer Trieu Minh Dong, an official of the Railway Project Management Board.

Overcoming difficulties to maintain progress

Khe Net Pass is a precarious stretch of road perched on a high hilltop, over 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 traveled over 60km of mountain pass with dozens of sharp hairpin bends along National Highway 12C and National Highway 15.

Construction crews are currently building access roads to the tunnel entrances. Tunnel drilling is expected to begin at the end of May.

According to engineer Song, the project faced many difficulties during construction, especially due to unfavorable weather conditions, allowing for only about 6 months of work per year.

The construction site is quite far from residential areas, and the unreliable phone signal makes living conditions for the workers inadequate.

In addition, the project passes through a natural forest area, requiring time-consuming permits for land use conversion, which has affected the progress.

Machinery is stripping the foundation and lowering the ground level at the entrance to tunnel number 1.

Engineer Song recalled that when they started planning the work, everyone shook their heads because setting up camps and administrative buildings on the mountaintop presented countless difficulties.

"For the first few weeks, because there was no power grid, we had to use generators to power the workers' work and daily lives. Because it was far from residential areas, supplies had to be transported from Dong Le town (20km away from the construction site)," engineer Song said.

Regarding material sources, Mr. Song said that construction units have to find sources from all around because nearby quarries do not have sufficient reserves and the quality is not guaranteed.

Despite the difficulties, after only two months of construction, the project has completed parts such as warehouses, docks, worker camps, and a concrete mixing plant.

Currently, construction teams are excavating the tunnel's foundation. It is expected that tunnel tubes No. 1 and No. 2 will be drilled by mid-May.

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