South Asia’s longest irrigation tunnel completed under North Central Canal project

Colombo, July 15 (Daily Mirror) - Excavation work on South Asia’s longest irrigation tunnel, stretching 27.7 kilometres, was officially completed today (15) under the North Central Canal Project.

The tunnel, constructed as part of the final phase of the Mahaweli Master Plan, is expected to provide water for drinking and agricultural purposes in the North Central and Northern Provinces.

The Mahaweli Master Plan, introduced in 1968, was expanded and accelerated in 1977 under the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Programme. The North Central Canal Project was identified as one of the final major projects under the plan.

Two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) were used for the excavation work. Excavation of the first section began in 2022 from the Palugaswewa–Mahameegaswewa area in Anuradhapura, while work on the second section commenced in 2023 from Kuduruwawa in the Elahera area of Polonnaruwa.

The official ceremony marking the completion of the excavation was held this morning in the Palugaswewa area of Anuradhapura.

The 27.7-kilometre tunnel will transport irrigation water to support around 74,000 hectares of agricultural land in the Northern region.