The road construction work inside the main tunnel of the tunnel under construction in Tinau Rural Municipality-3, Dobhan Siddhababa area of ​​Palpa along the Siddhartha Highway has been completed.

With the completion of all the work on the construction of 1,126 meters of road inside the main tunnel, the physical progress of the tunnel has been 69.25 percent by the last week of Asad. The financial progress has been 63.55 percent, according to the project office.

The work is being carried out with the aim of bringing the main tunnel of the Siddhababa tunnel into operation by Asoj, informed the project office chief Nawaraj Bastola. The width of the tunnel is 10.5 meters and the height is about 7 meters. Chief Bastola said that the work has progressed as per the approval received to make 'rigid pavement' on the access road being constructed along the tunnel.

After the operation of traffic from inside the tunnel, 'rockshed' and cliff protection work will be carried out in the risky areas outside. A safe path will be built inside the 'rockshed' for pedestrians. The work of the 19-meter portal on the north side and the 18-meter portal on the south side has been completed. Project Chief Bastola said that the construction of structures inside the tunnel, access road and security arrangements have been taken forward simultaneously. He said that the work of installing lighting, ventilation, fans and other equipment has been completed after completing the secondary lining and invert of the tunnel. He said that work is underway to complete the design, civil work, tunnel operation and project.

After the construction is completed, the concerned construction company will be responsible for the operation, maintenance and security of the tunnel for 5 years. The next 5 years will be a 'latent defect liability period'. The contract for this tunnel has been awarded under the 'Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) model'. Under this 'model', the entire responsibility for 'design', approval and construction will be with the construction company, said project chief Vastola. Chinese construction company China State Construction Engineering Corporation has won the contract for 7.34 billion rupees.

The national pride project Siddhababa Tunnel is targeted to be operational by Asoj. More than two-thirds (68 percent) of the 1116-meter-long tunnel under construction in Dobhan Siddhababa area of ​​Tinau Rural Municipality-3, Palpa along the Siddhartha Highway has been completed.

Its width is 10.5 meters and its height is about 7 meters. Since the infrastructure construction work inside the tunnel has been completed, the remaining work has been accelerated to complete it within Asoj. According to the project, the construction of structures inside the tunnel, access roads and security arrangements have been taken forward simultaneously. The secondary lining and invert work of the tunnel has been completed and the installation of equipment including lights, ventilation, fans has now started.

Project Chief Bastola informed that the work has been accelerated as per the target of operating traffic in the tunnel by Asoj. ‘Work is being carried out at a rapid pace with the aim of bringing the Siddhababa Tunnel into operation by Asoj.’ The civil work of the main tunnel has been completed and electrification work is underway. Work is being carried out in a hurry to complete the remaining work soon,’ he said.

The contract for this tunnel has been awarded under the ‘Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC)’ model. Under this ‘model’, the entire responsibility of ‘design’, approval and construction will rest with the construction company.

On 25 Falgun 2078, a contract agreement was signed with China State Construction Engineering Corporation to complete the construction within 5 years. The total cost of this project is Rs 7.34 billion. After that, the company will operate and maintain the tunnel for 1,825 days. The project deadline is until Falgun 2083. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) of this tunnel surveyed the area in 2075 BS and prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the tunnel.

After the budget was allocated by the Council of Ministers in 2077 BS, the Department of Roads invited bids internationally on Jestha 2078 BS and awarded the tunnel construction contract. Although the construction contract agreement was signed in Falgun 2078 BS, the company started digging the tunnel towards the end of 2079 BS. The area from the Lower Siddhababa Temple on the Siddhartha Highway to Dobhan in Palpa falls under the area prone to landslides. After the tunnel is built, it will be easier to travel to and from Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Syangja, Baglung and other districts. Under the project package, risk reduction work is being done using modern technology on the Chidiyakhola-Siddhababa Temple and the road from the northern end of the tunnel to Dobhan. This is the first time in the history of road infrastructure that a 'rock shed' has been built in the Siddhababa area. 'Rock shed' is a technology to protect vehicles and roads from landslides. A strong roof in the shape of an RCC slope or steel slope is built over the road at the place where the landslide occurs. The landslides that fall on the 'rock shed' constructed in this way will reach the river or cliff through the roof.