The East Coast Railway has scripted a landmark chapter in infrastructure development by cutting through the formidable Eastern Ghats with a series of tunnel breakthroughs during the 2025–26 financial year, marking one of its most productive phases.

The defining milestone came on April 14, 2026, when engineers achieved the breakthrough of Tunnel No. 30 in the Sikarpai–Keutguda section. Stretching 1,043 metres and located on a sharp 5-degree curve, the tunnel posed significant geological and alignment challenges. Teams working simultaneously from both ends met with precise accuracy at the centre, demonstrating the strength of advanced surveying and execution methods.