Palpa. The construction of ‘invert’ at Siddhababa tunnel, which is a project of national pride, has been completed. Sabita Gyawali, an engineer at the Tunnel Tunnel Project Office, informed that the construction of the invert has been completed on a total of 1,089 meters of the main tunnel.

“The construction of the invert has been completed since Wednesday. We are moving ahead with the work of ‘lining’. So far, 834 meters of lining work has been completed. ’

The overall physical progress of the tunnel under construction at Tinau rural municipality-3, Dobhan area of Palpa along the Siddhartha Highway has reached 56.3 percent so far. Similarly, the financial progress is 50.24 percent. The work has gained momentum after the break-through of the tunnel.

The construction of the 1,126-metre tunnel from Upper Siddhababa Temple on the Butwal-Tansen road section under the Siddhartha Highway has started in 2079 BS. The main tunnel under the project has already been breached. The tunnel was started by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation at a cost of Rs 7.34 billion to be completed in five years i.e. 2083.

From Lower Siddhababa Temple to Dobhan of Palpa on Siddhartha Highway, there is a high landslide area. The tunnel has been constructed to make this section of the highway safe as landslides occur even during the dry season. Transport vehicles ply through this section to Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Syangja, Pokhara, Baglung and Myagdi.

The government has allocated Rs 2.6 billion for the upcoming fiscal year for the construction of 1,126-metre-long Siddhababa tunnel and Nagdhunga tunnel from Palpa-Siddhababa temple.