By Ashley Karen
A tunnel linking Tsokha and Jinling townships in Penba county, Tibet independent region, was finished on 17th December, after four years of construction.
The tunnel is located in Shargongla, where altitudes soar to 5,200 meters above sea level. The mountain is steep, and in 2000 was linked by nothing but rough vehicle roads.
The tunnel is an essential element of the National Highway project (G349). As reported, it is 4,392 meters long, with an altitude of one entrance at 4,750 meters above sea level.
Stymied by the weather, high altitudes, low temperatures and a shorter working season at the construction site, the tunnel project required four years for completion.
The tunnel has laid a solid foundation for the G349 Highway completion.
Complete operation of the tunnel is predicted to cut the journey between Chamdo city and the regional capital, Lhasa, by 300 kilometers.
Local farmers and herders will no longer have to climb over the high Shargongla Mountain after it becomes operational. It will also contribute significantly to the local economy in the future.
