The Swiss Embassy will give a presentation in Colombia on the methods and benefits of tunneling roads through the Andes mountains, reports La Nota Digital.
The Swiss Embassy and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce Colombo, working with construction supply companies Sika and Holcim, will meet in Bogota on May 19 and 20 to discuss how the Swiss New Alpine Transversal (NEAT) project could be replicated in Colombia. Construction details, information about drilling technology and the economic and social benefits of the project will be presented at the meeting.
The meeting is of interest to Colombia because the country faces similar challenges to those of Switzerland. “Colombia is a country whose major cities are located in mountainous areas, which means for its inhabitants long and expensive trips, so it has been working on the construction of tunnels that [will help save transportation] time and reduce costs,” said Hernando Davila, president of Colombian tunnel association ACTOS
The NEAT project in Switzerland will comprise two main railway lines through Switzerland. The western line began functioning in 2007 while the other line, comprising three tunnels, will be opened in 2017. The largest tunnel, “St. Gotthard,” is 57km long and crosses the Alps.