ABB's fresh air technology to ventilate Asia's longest road tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir

ABB Ltd, the Zurich-headquartered power and automation technology mutlinational firm, will install its state-of-the-art ventilation system at the newly constructed 10.8 kilometre Chenani-Nashri tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir. The ventilation system will enable vehicle drivers access to fresh air while driving through the longest highway tunnel in Asia. The Swedish-Swiss multinational along with IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd and Sterling & Wilson Ltd are part of the development of the country’s major infrastructure project. [caption id=“attachment_2602522” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] “This is a proud moment for us,” said Sanjeev Sharma, CEO and Managing Director, ABB India. “We are providing the muscles and lungs for this critical new tunnel.” The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is India’s first and the world’s sixth road tunnel with a transverse ventilation system enabled by ABB drives and controlled by ABB software. To ensure smooth travel and safety of commuters, ABB has designed, engineered and supplied low harmonics variable speed drive (VSD) system for tunnel ventilation, the company said in its statement. The VSDs and motors are installed at the North (Nashri) and South (Chenani) portals for air supply and exhaust. These VSDs are also equipped with inbuilt redundancy to ensure minimum downtime, it added. “Technologically this is one of the most advanced road tunnels built in the country, surmounting challenges of terrain and distance. We are proud that ABB technologies will save time and costs for the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” said Subir Pal, President, Robotics and Motion, ABB India. ABB has also built the world’s most powerful ventilation system for Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland, which was opened in December 2016.