Butwal-Palpa Tunnel Construction Accelerated, Target Set for Operation by Asoj

Butwal. Construction work on the tunnel under construction along the Butwal-Palpa road section of the Siddhartha Highway has been accelerated with the target of bringing it into operation by coming Asoj (September/October). The project has stated that work on structures inside the tunnel, access roads, and safety arrangements is being advanced simultaneously.

According to the project, the physical progress of the tunnel has so far reached 68 percent, while financial progress stands at 58 percent. The project, which has a five-year construction period, is being built under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model. Under this model, the entire responsibility for design, approval, and construction rests with the construction company.

Project Chief Rajesh Poudel informed that work has been intensified in line with the target of operating vehicular traffic through the tunnel by Asoj. According to him, once construction is completed, the concerned construction company will bear the responsibility for operation, maintenance, and safety for five years. An additional five-year period thereafter has been arranged as the ‘Latent Defect Liability Period’ (DLP).

During the initial phase of the project, construction work was affected due to legal and technical complexities. The project stated that since the EPC model is a new practice in Nepal, delays occurred for some time due to problems in managing necessary documentation, tree cutting permits, and budget management. Poudel stated that these issues are now heading towards resolution, and the processes of term extension and milestone adjustment have reached their final stage.

Approval for ‘rigid pavement’ on the access road being constructed alongside the tunnel has already been received. The project has stated that there are plans to carry out ‘rockshed’ and cliff protection-related work in the outer hazardous areas once transport operations commence from within the tunnel. A safe pathway will be constructed within the ‘rockshed’ for pedestrians, and drinking water management will also be arranged in the outer area.

Although the initial cost estimate of the project was approximately 10 billion rupees, the contract was signed for around seven billion rupees through a competitive bidding process. The project has stated that since this section of the Siddhartha Highway is considered high-risk in terms of landslides and soil erosion, the main objectives of the tunnel construction are to ensure safe travel and to minimise the loss of life and property.