SLBC Project Update: Deadline Shifted to January 2028

The completion of the SLBC tunnel project has been delayed, with the deadline now pushed back by at least a year, extending beyond January 2028.

The setback is due to the government still finalizing the structure of an escrow account required to facilitate payments to contractors. Meanwhile, excavation of the remaining 9.6 km stretch of the tunnel—originally scheduled to resume this month—will involve an additional tunneling distance of nearly one km. This expansion includes a section on the inlet side that collapsed in February 2025.

Construction will now restart simultaneously from both the inlet and outlet ends using the drill-and-blast method. Excavation is expected to progress at an average rate of 300 meters per month, with work continuing around the clock.

“With continuous operations, we are committed to completing the project, even though it will require more time,” an official associated with the project said.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.