Siddhababa Tunnel Project starts ‘invert and lining’ work.

Siddhababa Tunnel Project Office under Siddha Highway is in full swing. Out of the total 1089 meters of the main tunnel, only 99 meters of invert work is left, while lining work is 429 meters.

Siddhababa Tunnel Project Office Chief Krishna Raj Adhikari informed that ‘invert and lining’ work is underway on Bypass 1, while ‘invert’ work has begun on Bypass 3. The project plans to expedite the work on the main tunnel and send vehicles from inside to work on the existing road outside.

‘That is why we are now emphasizing the work inside,’ he said. ‘There are steep slopes outside and a river at the bottom, which makes it difficult to work. Therefore, first we will make the main tunnel ready for vehicles.’ Bypass one is 151 meters, bypass two is 161 meters, and bypass three is 130 meters long. According to him, the invert work of bypass one has been completed for 145 meters. The lining work has also been completed for 118 meters. Similarly, the invert work of bypass three has been completed for 36 meters, the chief officer of the project office said. The invert and lining work of bypass two has not started. According to him, the overall physical progress of the tunnel under construction in Dobhan Siddhababa area of ​​Tinau Rural Municipality-3, Palpa under the Siddhartha Highway has reached 53.41 percent. Similarly, the financial progress is 47.8 percent.

The 2-lane main tunnel under the project will be 1,089 meters long. The width of its main tunnel will be 10.5 meters and the height will be about 7 meters. The total length of the tunnel including lining has been reported by the project office. Of this, 480 meters of the main tunnel invert work has been completed on the north side. 510 meters of work has been completed on the south side, the project office said.

Lining work on the main tunnel has been completed on the north side, 320 meters and 340 meters on the south side. The project has reported that 1495 out of 2,300 square meters of slope protection has been completed on the south side, 495 out of 1,100 square meters on the north side, 481 out of 9,620 square meters on the MR1 mountain side, and 1414 out of 7,440 square meters on the MR2 mountain site.

According to the project, even if the construction contractors work within the time frame, it is estimated that it will take another year for vehicles to run. Electrification work will be carried out on the tunnel in the coming days. Work will be done to connect security and communication equipment. The project chief officer said that since the current road on the outside has to be demolished, traffic will have to be operated through the main tunnel.

Lining and ventilation work is underway. The work will include concreting the walls, waterproofing, road construction, slope inside the tunnel, ventilation, lining, lighting, oxygen perfusion, safety measures, and installation of fire extinguishers. After this, preparations are underway to construct helipads on the north and south sides of the tunnel.

The contract agreement for this project was signed in Falgun 2078 to be completed within 5 years. The Chinese company China State Construction Engineering Corporation has been awarded the contract to build it at a cost of Rs 7.34 billion 21 million including value-added tax. According to the contract terms, the construction of the first phase must be completed within 5 years, i.e. by Chaitra 2083.

When the tunnel is completed, citizens of Palpa, Rupandehi, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Rupandehi, Syangja, Pokhara, Baglung, Mustang and other areas of Lumbini and Gandaki Province will be able to travel safely.