Siddhababa Tunnel Project Progresses Rapidly, Targeting Completion by Dashain

Butwal. The Siddhababa Tunnel project, under construction along the Siddhartha Highway, has achieved approximately 60 percent physical progress and 51 percent financial progress.

Project Chief Navaraj Bastola told Ratopati that construction work has accelerated significantly following the breakthrough of the tunnel.

He noted that internal works, including floor concreting and wall coating, have been completed, with all three bypasses being constructed simultaneously.

A total of 1,520 meters of tunnel lining has been completed. The invert (floor concreting) is finished, and the base for drainage on both sides has also been constructed.

Project Chief Bastola stated that road construction inside the tunnel is expected to be completed by the end of Shrawan. The goal is to finish external works to allow vehicle movement by the upcoming Dashain.

The project was contracted to the Chinese company, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), for 7.3421 billion rupees, with a deadline of Chaitra 2083.

The construction company claims that over 250 workers are deployed daily. A building for inspection is under construction within the Butwal Road Office compound, and two control buildings are being built at the north and south entrances for tunnel security.

The control building will monitor activities inside the tunnel, including traffic, pollution levels, noise, and airflow, via computer screens.

The contract includes a provision for the company to maintain the tunnel for five years after completion.

The contractor has already brought some equipment, including wiring, ventilation, and fire safety systems, while other materials are currently at the Kerung border. Diplomatic efforts are underway through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expedite customs clearance.

The project also includes landslide mitigation measures in the Dobhan area, such as installing rock nets and supports to prevent falling stones.

The two-lane main tunnel will be 1,126 meters long, 10.5 meters wide, and approximately 7 meters high. Bastola mentioned that the plan is to prioritize the tunnel completion to allow traffic flow before finishing external works.

The Siddhababa section of the Siddhartha Highway is considered highly hazardous due to frequent rockfalls in winter and landslides during the monsoon, making travel between Dobhan, Palpa, and Butwal dangerous.