Open to the outside world
Laohuzui Tunnel, in Tibet region, is a key link of the strategic Paimo Highway
Workers on the Paimo Highway project connecting Pai township in Nyingchi, Tibet autonomous region, with the region’s Metog county completed digging the highway’s last tunnel on May 16.
Located in between the Liberation Bridge and Khanmi village on the highway, the Laohuzui Tunnel has a total length of 2,114 meters and a tunnel construction clearance of 9x5 meters.
Amid various environmental and geological factors, the construction was particularly outstanding.
The Paimo Highway is 67.22 kilometers long, starting from Pai township, and passing through the rear of the Duoxiongla Snow Mountain through an extra-long tunnel to Songlinkou.
The Xionghe extension line passes through Khanmi and Laohuzui to Beibeng township in Metog county. The elevation from the highest point to the lowest point along the way is 2,892 meters. Natural disasters such as avalanches, landslides, heavy rainfall and mudslides occur frequently.
Started in 2014 by the China Huaneng Group Co, it took them almost seven years to complete, with an estimated investment of more than 2 billion yuan ($310 million) in the project.
Workers adopted the conventional drilling and blasting method, but the complicated geological and hydrographic conditions made the project much more difficult than those in flat areas.
Far away from home, workers took root in the plateau. And they have spared no effort in overcoming many hurdles and pushing forward the construction.
As the last controlling node of the entire project, the Laohuzui Tunnel marks a new breakthrough in the region. The completion of the tunnel, 228 days ahead of the original schedule, heralds the full connection of the Paimo Highway.
After the highway opens to traffic, the distance from urban areas of Nyingchi to Metog county is reduced to 180 kilometers from 346 km, with travel time reduced to about 4.5 hours from the previous 11. A loop line has been formed in and out of Metog, breaking the traffic bottleneck, and enabling locals to reach some of the formerly remote locations.
The highway is the second major route linking Metog county with the outside world.
The county was once an isolated “island” that was first connected to the country’s highway network in 2013. It was China’s last county to connect with the national road network.
The project also signals a boost for the local tourism industry. Pai township is endowed with extraordinary scenery. The Yarlung Zangbo River passes through the town and converges in the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon.
The entrance of the canyon in the riverside Daduka village is shaded by green trees, and many tourists come every year to enjoy the idyllic pastoral on both sides of the canyon from the Daduka observation deck.
This is also the best viewing spot for Namcha Barwa, “father of Tibetan mountains”. In clear weather one can see the magnificent snow-capped mountains in front of you.
In all, the most outstanding achievement comes from the hard work, dedication and professionalism of the construction workers, and they are the ordinary builders behind every great project. Most of them come from the country’s western rural areas, and they go through the mountains and dig tunnels throughout the year.
The construction teams are racing against time in China’s vast western regions, and the hardship is unimaginable. In winter, the mountains are covered in heavy snow, and workers celebrate the New Year on the construction site.
Roads lead to economic prosperity, and transportation construction is directly connected with people’s livelihood. All such efforts are regarded as important measures for China to achieve a well-off society in an all-round way. The builders of the Paimo Highway are also heroes and pioneers in the forefront of poverty alleviation.