Major highway tunnel completed in Tibet

A tunnel connecting Tsokha and Jinling townships in Penba county, Tibet autonomous region, was completed on Saturday after four years of construction.

The tunnel is located on Shargongla in the county, where altitudes soar to 5,200 meters above sea level. The mountain is steep and in 2000 was connected with nothing but rough vehicle roads.

The tunnel is a major element of the National Highway project (G349). It is 4,392 meters long, with the altitude of one entrance at 4,750 meters above sea level.

Hampered 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 completion of the G349 Highway. Full operation of the tunnel is expected to shorten 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 for after it begins operating. It will also contribute greatly to the local economy in the future.