A thunderous explosion on Dec 30 echoed through the heart of the snow-covered Tianshan Mountains, marking the final breakthrough of the world's longest expressway tunnel under construction — the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel. The 22.13-kilometer marvel, part of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, is set to transform travel across the Tianshan range, reducing the journey from three hours to just 20 minutes.

Stretching from the regional capital of Urumqi in northern Xinjiang to Yuli county, Bayingol Mongolian autonomous prefecture in southern Xinjiang, the expressway will significantly boost connectivity in the region.

Since its groundbreaking in 2020, thousands of workers have braved extreme conditions — high altitudes, freezing temperatures, and low oxygen levels — to achieve what was once deemed nearly impossible.

"It's like digging through tofu," says Huang Dengxia, chief engineer of the tunnel's fifth section team, describing the fragile geological conditions that could lead to mud surges and rock slides.