9.5 km TBM drive awarded to jv of Spie Batignolles, Sotrabas, Razel-Pico and Bilfinger & Berger. Second drive of 8.4 km due for award. March 1998.  Two tunnels, the 8 km Galerie Salazie Amont from the Mat river to the Pluis river and the 9.65 km x 3.2 m-diameter Galerie Salazie Aval from the Pluis river to the Fleurs-Jaunes river will allow transfer of water from the east of the island to the west. The Amont is being driven by a jv led by Bouygues and the Aval by a jv led by Spie Batignolles, both of which include Razel, Pico, Sotrabas, and Bilfinger & Berger. Two Herrenknecht TBMs are in use in basalts and similar volcanic rocks with maximum cover of 1,000 m. Fax M Coulet of Razel/Pico in Reunion, +262 44 9820 for progress and visit www.herrenknecht.com for further details of the TBM specifications. February 2000.