Hindustan Construction Company Ltd has completed excavation of 6-km head race tunnel work of the 1,020-mw Tala Hydro-electric Power Project in Bhutan. The company has been allotted additional length of head race tunnel for excavation. The company was awarded C1 and C4 contracts that involved civil works for dam, intake, desilting part of head race tunnel and surge shaft ends.
The company has completed concrete lining in intake tunnels and overt lining of 2 km in head race tunnel. Dam work has commenced and raising of dam blocks is in progress. However, excavation of desilting chambers is facing some problems due to poor geology. Similarly, tunnel work on Kalikhola upstream, which is part of C4 package, is held up due to adverse geological conditions. Meanwhile, 3.29 km of head race tunnel at Mirchingchu and 2.3 km at Kalikhola have been completed. Also, concrete lining of more than 400 metres of tunnel has been completed.
The Tala Hydro-electric Project is a joint effort between the governments of Bhutan and India to generate 1,020 mw of power. The Rs 3,224 crore project is partly funded by the Indian government to the extent of 60 per cent. The project is scheduled for completion in year 2006.
