The inversion (invert) construction work has been completed on the Siddhbaba tunnel route

Palpa— The construction of the “invert” segment on the national pride project, the Siddhbaba tunnel route, has been completed.

Engineer Savita Gyawali of the Tunnel Route Project Office informed that the invert construction has been completed across 1,089 meters of the main tunnel. She stated, “The invert work was finished starting Wednesday. We are currently forging ahead with the lining work. So far, 834 meters of lining have been completed.”

Within the Siddhartha Highway corridor, in Dobhan–3 of Tinau Rural Municipality, Palpa, the tunnel’s overall physical progress has reached 56.3%, according to the project.

Similarly, financial progress stands at 50.24%. Work has accelerated since the “break-through” of the tunnel.

The Siddhbaba tunnel—stretching 1,126 meters from the Upper Siddhbaba Temple on the Butwal–Tansen road segment of the Siddhartha Highway has been under construction since 2022 (2079 in the Nepali calendar). The main tunnel has already achieved break-through. The tunnel project, scheduled for completion in five years (by 2026/27 or 2083 in the Nepali calendar), is being built by China State Construction Engineering Corporation at a cost of NPR 734.214 million.

The section from Lower Siddhbaba Temple to Dobhan in Palpa lies in a high landslide-prone zone. Frequent loose landslides also occur in Sukhhyayam, necessitating the construction of the tunnel to secure this stretch of highway. This section provides transportation access onward to Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Syangja, Pokhara, Baglung, and Myagdi.

The government has allocated NPR 260 million in the upcoming fiscal year for two tunnel projects: the 1,126-meter Siddhbaba tunnel from Palpa–Siddhbaba Temple and the Nagdhunga tunnel.