KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today laid the foundation stone for the construction of Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola Tunnel Way amidst a program here on Monday.
The project considered an important road infrastructure will be the first tunnel way meant for vehicular movement. The foundation stone-laying ceremony was held at Totepakha of Chandragiri Municipality-1.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister unveiled a stone inscription based on the site.
The project to be implemented by a concessional loan (0.01 percent) by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is estimated to cost Rs 22 billion.
Of the total cost, Rs 16 billion will be provided by JICA as loan assistance and remaining Rs six billion will be managed by the government through an internal source.
Project director Shyam Prasad Kharel said the construction of the 5.56 kilometers long (including the length of its approach road) project is expected to contribute a lot in Nepal’s infrastructure development.
Around six billion rupees will be used to give compensation to the locals affected by the project. Currently, distribution of compensation to the affected of Chandragiri municipality 1, 3 and 5 is going on and the 85 percent works of compensation distribution had been completed.
The deadline for completing the project is four years.
Earlier, tunnel ways had been constructed in Nepal, but they were either for hydropower or drinking water projects. This will be the first for the operation of vehicles and the project will have two small ‘fly over’ as well, according to Kharel. One will be at its entrance and another will be at Satungal. The ‘fly over’ to be built as road infrastructure will be first of its kind in the country.
An agreement on the construction of the tunnel road was signed by Japanese Company Hazama Ando Corporation on September 23. The length of the approach road will be three kilometers. Under the project, a local production collection center (service center) will be established, it is said.
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