Siddhababa tunnel break-through set for January 21

January 11, Kathmandu: The much-anticipated breakthrough of the Siddhababa tunnel along the Butwal-Palpa section of the Siddhartha Highway is scheduled for January 21. This significant development comes after 11 months of construction.

Members of Parliament Thakur Gaire and Narayan Acharya, representing Palpa, held a discussion with Prime Minister KP Oli, Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, and Minister for Physical Infrastructure Devendra Dahal to discuss the final preparations for the break-through ceremony.

The tunnel, being constructed by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation at a cost of NPR 7.34 billion, is expected to significantly boost infrastructure development and economic growth in the region.

The construction company was awarded the contract in March 2020 with a completion deadline of March 2027.   The three bypass tunnels of the project have already been completed.

The main tunnel, located near the famous Siddhababa Temple, has been a subject of much interest and anticipation due to the frequent landslides in the area, which have posed significant challenges to transportation.