According to the reporter's records, after more than 100 years of existence, the tunnel is still almost intact.
The tunnel is divided into 4 parts with 2 small compartments and 2 larger rooms with an area of about 6-7m2.
The rooms are separated by a thick, solid wall. In which, the 2 middle rooms are about 2m12 wide and about 3m long.
The entrance from the tunnel to the ground has 5 steps with a width of about 70cm.
This tunnel was discovered when the Northern Power Corporation renovated its headquarters in 2019. Before that, the entire tunnel was deep underground, in an area where the entrance was blocked, so no one knew.
Only when renovating the headquarters towards the 49th anniversary of the establishment of the Northern Power Corporation did the workers drilling at this location discover a very hard layer of soil that could not be dug further. After that, they shaped and cordoned off the hard land, only to discover that it was a secret tunnel.
Currently, the basement is kept intact, clean, installed with an electrical system and some light bulbs for lighting. On the tunnel wall, there are more photos of the history of the electricity industry.
On the plaque in front of the tunnel is recorded, "the basement was built at the same time as the French villa building (about more than 125 years ago) in the grounds of the Bo Ho Light Factory".
"In the war against the US to save the country, especially the carpet-bombing attacks that destroyed the US B-52 from 1968 to 1972, this tunnel became a shelter for the Hoan Kiem Lake electricians and was the place to direct the operation of the Hanoi power system.
This tunnel is also the place where the electricity workers fight to protect the factory during enemy bombings."
According to the proposal of researcher Nguyen Ngoc Tien, when re-planning the "four corners" of the East of Hoan Kiem Lake, this tunnel should be kept and put into tourism exploitation, especially in the context that we have been promoting the development of cultural industries and cultural tourism in recent years.
The tunnel, which has existed for more than 100 years and has undergone many changes, witnessing historical ups and downs, is a valuable milestone. The tunnel will tell its own story about a period of time passed by the nation.
Here are some photos of the secret tunnel in the building of the Northern Power Corporation taken by Lao Dong reporter:
The content of the lines recorded on the board placed outside the secret basement at the headquarters of the Northern Power Corporation:
"The tunnel was built at the same time as the French villa (about more than 125 years ago) in the grounds of the Bo Ho Light Factory.
Perhaps none of us can forget the destructive war of the American Imperial Army in the North, when power projects were one of the key points that were frequently attacked by the enemy, wherever there was electric light, they became targets of the enemy.
Hanoi became a hot spot during the glorious fights of American aircraft. "Everyone needs electricity, the Fatherland needs electricity like the body needs blood", "The hearts of electricians are still beaten, the power line will never go off" Those heroic calls have helped soldiers - workers of the Ho Street Lighting Factory not to face difficulties and dangers, bravely sacrifice, overcome falling bombs and bullets to protect power works, quickly overcome the consequences after each enemy's attack, to keep the power line continuing to shine, serving the production requirements and the lives of the people of the Capital.
During the war against the US to save the country, especially the carpet-bombing attacks that destroyed the US B-52 from 1968 to 1972, this tunnel became a shelter for the Hoan Kiem Lake electricians and was the place to direct the operation of the Hanoi power system.
It is also this tunnel that commands electricity workers to fight to protect the factory during enemy bombings.
