We have had such tunnels since 1960s! Muache ushamba! Ask the constructor akuambie since that same China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) building SGR Kenya, built TAZARA.
Meandering through inhospitable terrain
Within a year track-laying reached Mlimba which is 502 kilometres from Dar es Salaam. Thereafter, for the next one year, construction entered through the most inhospitable terrain of the line. This is the 158-kilometre Mlimba/Makambako section, which is characterized by complicated topographical features. The works in this section alone included excavation of 20 million cubic metres of earth works (about a quarter accounted for the whole line), construction of 46 bridges with total linear length of 4,100 metres, 18 tunnels aggregating 8,253 metres and 362 culverts totaling 11,710 metres.
Construction crosses the border
The track crossed the Tanzanian border at Tunduma into Zambia at Nakonde in August 1973. After the experience of the Mlimba/Makambako section, construction in Zambia with fairly uncomplicated features was fast such that by June 1975, the line reached Kapiri-Mposhi, two years ahead of schedule. Trial operations continued for a year until 14 July 1976 when full operations commenced, after the Government of the Peoples’ Republic of China formerly handed over TAZARA to Tanzania and Zambia.
Engineering challenges
The engineering difficulties involved in building the 1,860 kilometre long railway were immense. It is not easy to fathom the extent of heroism and ingenuity displayed by both the Chinese people, represented by their great engineers and workers and the Tanzanian and Zambian people, who joined the Chinese for the construction of this unique railway. The hostile environment, through which the line often had to pass, did not deter them. When the line was finally completed, almost 89 million cubic metres of earth and rock had to be moved, 320 bridges, 22 tunnels and 2,225 culverts were built.
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