Butwal–Palpa tunnel to open from September

KATHMANDU: Construction of the tunnel section under the Siddhartha Highway (Butwal–Palpa road stretch) has been accelerated to bring it into operation from this September (Ashoj), according to project officials.

The project office stated that structural works inside the tunnel, access roads, and safety-related installations are being carried out simultaneously.

So far, physical progress has reached 68 percent, while financial progress stands at 58 percent.

The five-year construction project is being developed under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model, under which the contractor holds full responsibility for design approval and construction.

Project Chief Rajesh Paudel said work has been intensified in line with the target of opening the tunnel for traffic by September. He added that after completion, the construction company will also be responsible for operation, maintenance, and safety management for five years.

Following this period, an additional five-year Defect Liability Period (DLP) has been allocated.

According to the project, initial construction was delayed due to legal and technical complications. As this is Nepal’s relatively new experience with the EPC model, delays occurred in documentation, tree-cutting approvals, and budget management processes.

These issues are now being resolved, and procedures related to deadline extension and milestone adjustment are in the final stage, Paudel said.

The access road construction has already received approval for rigid pavement works. Once the tunnel becomes operational, risk-prone outer road sections will undergo rockfall netting and slope protection works.

A safe pedestrian walkway is also planned within protected rockfall zones, along with improved water management systems in surrounding areas.

Although the initial estimated cost of the project was around Rs 10 billion, it was contracted at approximately Rs 7 billion through a competitive bidding process.

The tunnel is expected to significantly improve safety on this section of the Siddhartha Highway, which is considered highly vulnerable to landslides and erosion, reducing risks to both lives and property.