The residents of China have been gifted with a New year gift in 2022. The country's much awaited longest underwater highway tunnel was opened to the public after nearly four years of construction.
As per the latest reports, the tunnel has been opened on 30th December, 2021. It is part of the Changzhou-Wuxi Highway allowing smooth travel for the residents and commuters between the citiees of Nanjing and Shanghai.
Interesting facts about the tunnel
1. Construction was initiated on 9th January, 2018
2. Stretches across a length of 10.79 kilometers / 6.65 miles and width of 17.45 meters
3. Named as Taihu tunnel, that passes under Lake Taihu in the Province of Jiangsu of the eastern region of China, 50 kilometers east of Shanghai
4. The total cost amounted to 9.9 billion yuan, that's near to $1.56 billion
5. The tunnel has six lanes wherein vehicles can ply in both ways
6. Colourful LED lights adorn the ceiling of the tunnel; a concept to ease the weariness of the people driving through the long stretch of the tunnel
Purpose behind this amazing construction
The cities of Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou experience heavy traffic congestion, inconvenient for the daily commuters as well as the tourists who visit the country. Hence it was necessary to connect the expressways of the three cities to ease the traffic pressure. Besides the tunnel will help in spurring up the economic development of the cities along the Yangtze River Delta area.
Convenience for the Travellers
China experiences tourists all the year round. Alleviating the anxieties of travel across various cities of the country will bring in relief. The tunnel will usher in the convenience required for faster and easy travel, avoiding unnecessary traffic and crowds. Truly a gift and a boon for the tourism industrial sector of China.
As the Taihu tunnel stands now among the world's other prominent tunnels -Norway's Ryfast tunnel, Tokyo's Bay Aqua-Line, and Channel Tunnel connecting England and France; you must not miss including it in your bucket list.