"嘎隆拉山隧道"即将打通

Giant Galongla Mountain is the threshold that gives access one of the remotest counties in China, Motuo. Because it snows up to 7 months a year, conditions here are very harsh. Workers who are drilling a tunnel through the Mountain must overcome many difficulties such as extremely cold temperatures, water that bursts from the walls of the tunnel and the loneliness on the construction site. Struggling in the face of these hardships are more than 160 workers who have been here for over two years.

Chen Yuandi, from Hubei Province, is one of the drillers. He works here 12 hours a day. But recently, he encountered some new difficulties.

Chen Yuandi is now dealing with a phenomenon called a rock burst. This is when pressure from inside the walls of the tunnel force a section of rock to explode inward. He must pay special care to be extremely aware of the conditions on the inside of the tunnel.

Wang Jifu, from Sichuan Province is the water extractor operator in the tunnel. His duty is ensuring that the extraction work is safe. Everyday, he operates in 0-degree water for more than 8 hours.

Wang Jingfu, constructor at 24K,said, "When we uploaded the pipe, the water reaches the waist. In the deepest pits, the water could be over 2 meters deep. When the tunnel is submerged, we have to swim to the working site."

Chen Yuandi, constructor at 24K,said, "The water is extremely cold and causes my knees to hurt.We use ovens to dry our clothes. The shop near our apartment has some medicine to sell. Sometimes we buy some and rub it on the sore area."

After two years, workers have gotten used to the working environment. However, boring existence on the mountain takes a psychological toll. Both Wang and Chen live in a wood cabin at the foot of Galongla Mountain. Enjoying the sunshine or taking a walk in the snow mountain are their main modes of entertainment.

Wang Jingfu said, "We can only enjoy flowers in May or June. Motuo is the only county in China that can’t be accessed by vehicle. Now I’m thinking that the passage will be completed tomorrow. I’m very proud."