The Niuzhaishan Tunnel in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone has almost been completed as workers have only about 400 meters left to excavate, the Pingtan Times reported on Nov 15.

A manager of the project said that workers have already excavated a distance of 740 meters at the northern end of the tunnel and 500 meters at the southern end.

The 1,697-meter project will consist of a two-way, eight-lane tunnel linking urban and suburban districts.

The digging started in November 2012, and workers said that - if everything goes as planned - the project is expected to be finished by the end of this year.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Niva Whyman