The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) will adopt the latest design and technology and use sophisticated equipment while tunnelling for the proposed Rs.900-crore India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) in Theni district.
The use of scientific advancements will ensure minimal damage to local flora and fauna. The designs will minimise the impact of vibrations on the local topography while tunnelling is carried out, according to A. Stephen, Superintending Engineer, Projects Development and Coordination, TNEB.
Addressing an INO project awareness programme here on Wednesday, he said the TNEB had been roped in to prepare a detailed project report.
The waste generated while tunnelling could be used for construction activity. The dust generated would be dealt with scientifically.
The project would require a 2 km D-shaped tunnel with a diameter of 7.5 m (nearly 25 feet). The tunnel would have 1,200 m of solid hard rock mass above it. It would house a 50,000-tonne magnetic detector. It would have a length of 135 m, width of 26 m and height of 20 m.
The tunnel would have two caverns, one for the main detector and another smaller one. A 40-tonne truck would be able to move through the tunnel. Air-conditioning equipment alone would weigh a total of 160 tonnes. The site was chosen after preliminary studies by the Institute of Mathematical Studies, he said.
Having dug 36 tunnels to a length of 105 km in the Western Ghats since 1965, mainly to supply water to underground power generation plants, the TNEB had acquired high expertise in tunnelling. The advantages of tunnelling were that it would avoid deforestation and prevent damage to migratory paths of animals like elephants, Mr. Stephen said.
