Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) recently completed excavation works for the main tunnel of a drainage project in Mesaimeer, a report said.

The Mesaimeer surface and ground water drainage project is designed to discharge groundwater into the sea, decreasing the surface water level, thus cutting down pumping costs construction projects, added The Peninsula report.

It will also preserve the foundations of buildings, and reduce land subsidence due to rain.

The work was carried out using two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) developed for the project by Herrenknecht, a German manufacturing company.

The completion of the main tunnel marks the end of major works of the project, the report said, noting that the remaining work includes excavation and construction of sub-tunnels and inspection manholes along the main tunnel.

The main tunnel is about 10 km long and 30-m deep, extending several kilometres from the shoreline from Woqood Petrol Station Roundabout, the report said.