Trojena is advancing its construction activities with preparations underway to receive the first of two tunnel boring machines (TBM) in February.
The 235m-long, 2,000-tonne TBM, currently en route from Germany, will be used to excavate a twin 3.8km-long tunnel for the funicular railway.
This railway will traverse the mountainside, connecting the Mirage Visitor Centre terminal with the Vault building. The TBM is being produced by the German company Herrenknecht.
Philip Gullett, executive director and region head of Trojena, said: “This will be the first operating funicular rail system in the kingdom and the steepest TBM-driven funicular tunnel in the world.
“There is a one-kilometre height difference between the start of the tunnels at the bottom of the mountain to the breakthrough point at The Vault building, so this tunnel drive is not only complex but unique.”
The tunnel boring machine is part of a contract awarded to a Turkish-local joint venture between Limak Holding and Al-Ayuni Investment & Contracting Company, which is responsible for the tunnelling and excavation work for the project.
This news article was first reported by MEED.
