PALPA: The Siddhababa Tunnel, a national pride project along the Siddhartha Highway, has achieved a key milestone with the completion of its invert construction.
According to Sabita Gyawali, Engineer at the Tunnel Project Office, work on the 1,089-meter main tunnel’s invert was completed on Wednesday. She also noted that tunnel lining is progressing steadily, with 834 meters already finished.
Situated in Tinau Rural Municipality-3 of Palpa, the tunnel has reached 56.3% physical progress, while financial progress stands at 50.24%. The pace of construction has accelerated since the tunnel breakthrough.
Construction of the 1,126-meter tunnel began in 2022 from the Upper Siddhababa Temple area on the Butwal-Tansen road section. The project is being developed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation and is targeted for completion by the end of 2025. The estimated cost stands at Rs 7.34 billion.
The tunnel aims to provide a safer route through the landslide-prone Siddhababa section, which often experiences dust and landslides even in the dry season. The Siddhartha Highway serves as a key route for vehicles traveling to and from Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Syangja, Pokhara, Baglung and Myagdi.
For the upcoming fiscal year, the government has allocated Rs 2.6 billion for the construction of both the Siddhababa and Nagdhunga tunnels.
