Atlas Copco Drill Rigs for Tunnels in MeccaAtlas Copco has supplied seven drill rigs for the construction of four motorway tunnels to ease the movement of the millions of pilgrims who visit Mecca every year. The four tunnels, which total 2,930 m in length, pass beneath Mecca and have been constructed as part of a project by the Saudi Arabian authorities to improve the infrastructure, which will make it safer for the millions of Muslims who make the Hajj pilgrimage to their holy city in Saudi Arabia every year.Four Rocket Boomer drill rigs had to be flown out last autumn in two separate flights on a Russian Antonov 124, the world's largest air freight plane, to make sure they arrived at the worksite as quickly as possible. There was no time for any delays, since the project had to be implemented within five months, in time for this year's pilgrimage. The contractors used drill rigs with a state-of-the-art computerized control system, and worked in shifts to accomplish the project.The two largest tunnels have been excavated by Turkish contractor STFA with its local partner Rio Trading & Contracting Co. Ltd, and the other two by Sargin Ekol Asdem, also of Turkey, with its local Arabic partner Alawi Tunsi Establishment. Subscribe to E-News Weekly 40/2004.Atlas Copco Underground Rock Excavation division supplied the drill rigs and service back-up and Atlas Copco Secoroc supplied the rock drilling tools to this successful project. Click sa/12. Visit www.atlascopco.com, www.boomer-rig.com and www.secoroc.com 05/05.