The consortium Spie Sud Est/Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides, Feyzin secured the EUR7.6 million contract for equipment maintenance in the Grand Lyon tunnels, the most important of which are Fourviere (1,850 m), Croix-Rousse (1,750 m), Brotteaux-Servient and Vivier-Merle (336 m). For more, contact Communaute Urbaine de Lyon, fax +33 478 957097, or visit http://marches.grandlyon.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=058386-2010. 11/10...

Gähler und Partner AG of Ennetbaden have secured the EUR2.28 million contract for PM designer for safety refurbishment in 1.14 km-long Mosi tunnel on A4, near Brunnen. Contact OFROU, Zofingen, tel +41 6274575-11, fax -90, e-mail beschaffung.zofingen@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062920-2010. 11/10...

IG BP2, c/o Bänziger Partner AG of Zurich, secured the EUR2.63 million contract from BAMO for 5.7 km-long N3 Kerenzer tunnel. Contact OFROU, Winterthour, tel +41 522344-711, fax -790, e-mail winterthur@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062921-2010. 11/10..

Construction contract for Kuechelberg tunnel awarded to PAC SpA consortium, value EUR34,695,272 excluding VAT. More from PAC in Capo di Ponte, tel +39 0364331037, fax +39 036442303, e-mail info@pacspa.it and client APB in Bozen, tel +39 04714125-14, fax –39, e-mail gare-11.5@provincia.bz.it Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=071475-2010. 11/10...

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA is inviting companies to prequalify for civil engineering work on railway tunnels in Italy. Further information and documents from Iacomino Raffaele at Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato in Milan, tel +39 02637 148-19, fax –20, e-mail dns-qs@rfi.it to whom requests to participate should be sent. Visit

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

The Border Roads Organisation has awarded the EUR250 million contract to build the 8.8 km-long Rohtang Pass Highway Tunnel to the JV Strabag AG (Austria)/Afcons (India). At 3,980 m, Rohtang Pass, in the western Himalaya region of northern India, is one of the highest navigable mountain passes in the world.

The Leh-Manali Highway, the only road connection to the northern border of Himachal Pradesh province, leads over Rohtang Pass. The heavy winter snowfalls and storms in the region mean the communities north of the pass are cut off for 4-6 months when the road is closed. The construction of the Rohtang tunnel, at approximately 3,100 m above sea level, will make the Leh-Manali Highway passable year-round and will contribute significantly to the economic development of the northern border region.

Special challenges in building the tunnel include the elevation, the extreme climate and the geologic conditions. The rock at the site consists mainly of slate and migmatite, with three potential fault zones and squeezing rock, making NATM the method of choice.

The horseshoe-shaped tunnel will be 10 m wide, to accommodate an 8 m-wide two-lane roadway plus a 1 m-wide walkway on each side. A 2.25 m-high and 3.6 m-wide escape tunnel will be integrated underneath the main roadway in the tunnel cross section. In all, the works will involve moving more than 800,000 cu m of rock. Tunnelling will begin in Spring, 2010 and will proceed from both portals. As the northern portal will not be accessible during the winter months, the main tunnelling works will be focused at the southern end. With a planned construction time of about 5.5 years, the tunnel should be completed by end-2015. Visit http://bro.nic.in, www.strabag.com and www.afcons.com. 44/09.