On March 26, the Ranwediyawa Tunnel in Galewala, one of the key nodes of the northwest line of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Water Diversion and Irrigation Project undertaken by China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd.(CSCEC), was successfully excavated, marking an important breakthrough in the construction of the whole northwest line of the project.

The project is an important livelihood project under construction by the Sri Lankan government, with three branch lines in the east, the middle and the west respectively. After the completion of the northwest line, it can solve the shortage of agricultural irrigation water in the arid area of 12,500 hectares in northwestern Sri Lanka, and promote the transformation and upgrading of local traditional agriculture.

Permanent Secretary of the Minister of Irrigation in Sri Lanka Mr. K.W. Ivan Silva, said that under the epidemic, CSCEC overcame many difficulties to penetrate the tunnel, which is an important achievement in the construction of the whole northwest line of the project.

Since the tunnel construction started in October 2020, the construction team of  17-kilometer Canal Project has met various difficulties, especially in technology, environmental protection, material and equipment supply at Post-pandemic era，they worked hard to create much available conditions for the entire project to be put into use as scheduled.

Mr. A.K.D.N.Athukorala, Chief Consultant of Sri Lanka Central Advisory Bureau and Senior Consultant of Water Resources Management Association, with 42 years of experience in tunnel construction and serves as the technical guide for the project. He said that he has participated in all the tunnel construction in Sri Lanka, but this is the one with the worst geological conditions and the highest safety risk under construction, and the experience in tunneling excavation is pretty meaningful.

Due to complex and changeable geological conditions and changing support forms, the risk of tunnel construction increases sharply. The project team organized experts from many countries to carry out on-site exchange meetings on tunnel construction technology, discussed special construction plans, and strictly implemented the tunnel construction policy of "advance management, strict grouting, short excavation, strong support, early closure, and frequent measurement" to ensure efficient excavation with a maximum excavation of 85 meters one month.

Since the main line of the tunnel passes through residential areas, and there are many nearby houses, schools, mosques, farms, etc., the project team puts safety and environmental protection first, and takes various measures to reduce noise in construction blasting, so that the peak value of blasting sound and vibration meet the limit standards of the local environmental protection department.

Furthermore, since the start of project construction, it has created job opportunities to more than 800 Sri Lankan employees and made various social donations to local community, winning the high recognition of the local society.