Siddhababa Tunnel Marg to 'break through' in three months

"Working only with machines caused delays in the construction, because the rocks were big, it took only two/three days to cut them," he said.

"Since the work started using explosives a month ago, the tunnel has been dug at a rate of 8 to 9 meters per day," he said, "now the overall progress of the tunnel is 26 percent." "The progress made in two years has been achieved in one month," he said. He claims that although there was a delay in the work from the builders in the early days, now the speed of the work has increased.

After frequent landslides and accidents on this road section, tunnel construction was started as an alternative. The length of this main tunnel is 1,126 meters. Under this plan, road improvement work will also be done on 910 meters from Chidiakhola towards Butwal and 560 meters towards Palpa. Four km of this section falls within the landslide prone area.

It is constructed to be able to pass through a tunnel from near Siddhababa Mandir and exit towards Palpa near Tinau Hydropower. Three cross passages are being constructed in the middle of the tunnel as emergency doors. If there is some problem inside the tunnel, it will be possible to get out through the cross passage. The total distance of the cross passages alone is 441 meters. The distance including the tunnel and cross passage is 1,567 meters. Before explosives were used, the main tunnel was 127 meters long. Now, a total of 276 meters of main tunnel including 149 meters has been excavated by blasting. Similarly, only 140 meters of cross passage has been excavated.

"416 meters including the main tunnel and cross passage have been excavated," Director Shakya said, "Overall, 27.18 percent of the tunnel digging work has been completed." The road itself should be closed to make a 'rock set' in the section outside the tunnel. But there is a lot of traffic on this road. On an average, about 5,000 vehicles, both big and small, pass through this section every day.

"After digging the tunnel, we are planning to temporarily send vehicles through the tunnel and make a rock set in the risk area of ​​landslides," he said, "so the tunnel construction work can be completed quickly." The distance of the rock set is 780 meters. "In the area where the tunnel is constructed, a cemented rock set will be made by moving the stones down so that they fall down," he said.

He claims that he is working to formally allow vehicles to drive through the tunnel from the 8th of June. The contract agreement for the tunnel was signed in February 078 so that it can be built within five years. He said that it has been 27 and a half months since the construction started and the work is being completed within the remaining time. Its contract was taken by China State Construction Engineering Company for 7 billion 34 million 21 million rupees.

In the beginning, the work of the project could not take off due to the problem of cutting trees. It is estimated that 190 tons of explosives will be used in the construction. "Now there is 40 tons in stock, 18 tons will come from the Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola tunnel project," he said.

Shakya said that the budget allocated in the current financial year is insufficient and 33 million rupees are to be transferred. "After this, there is no problem in the current financial year, only 700 million rupees have been allocated for the next financial year, as the work is ongoing, two billion rupees will be needed," he said. We have informed the Road Department and the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport about this.'