The Chinese construction team responsible for tunneling in the Tianshan Mountains has begun the most challenging phase of the mega project: creating a road through the glacier region.
The Super Long Western Tianshan Tunnel, measuring 15.7 km, is part of a major highway connecting the southern and northern regions of the vast Xinjiang area in China. This project is expected to enhance trade and tourism, providing a vital link to Central Asia under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Wenzhou Tunnel Boring Machine used for the Western Tianshan Tunnel. (Photo: QQ).
On July 3, the construction team utilized a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) made domestically to drill the tunnel. The machine, weighing 1,800 tons and named Wenzhou, was designed and developed by the China Communications Construction Company. It is 235 meters long and has a diameter of 8.83 meters, making it the widest TBM currently employed in ongoing tunneling projects in Tianshan.
About two-thirds of the 2,500 km Tianshan range runs through Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan in Central Asia, with a significant part located in Xinjiang. The average elevation of this mountain range is 4,300 meters. The Western Tianshan Tunnel will be the first tunnel in China to run directly through the glacial region. More than three-quarters of the tunnel (nearly 12 km) will pass through rock beneath 1 km of ice, with some sections lying under 2.4 km of ice.
Wenzhou is the most advanced TBM drilling through the Tianshan Mountains, a region known for seismic activity with average temperatures around -23 degrees Celsius in winter. The geological conditions present unique safety and environmental challenges for tunneling operations, including water ingress, rockfalls, and temperature variations within the ground.
The tunnel construction commenced in September last year and is expected to be completed in 2026. This project is a vital part of the Qiaozuo-Wenzhou Expressway, connecting Qiaozuo County in the north with Wenzhou County in southern Xinjiang. With plans to open in 2027, this highway will serve as a key transportation link between China and Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Pakistan, as well as between Xinjiang and Tibet.
In recent years, China has started constructing several highways and tunnels in Xinjiang, including the Tianshan Victory Tunnel along the 1,300 km Urumqi-Wulumuqi Highway, connecting the capital of Xinjiang with Wulumuqi County. The 22.1 km tunnel is set to become the longest tunnel in the world upon completion next year.
