KATHMANDU: An agreement has been reached to construct the Tokha-Chhahare tunnel during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged between Nepal and China following discussions between Prime Minister Oli and his Chinese counterpart, Li Qiang, on Tuesday.
Krishna Prasad Dhakal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that the agreement was signed.
A preliminary study conducted by a Chinese technical team in 2076 BS had indicated the feasibility of the 4-kilometer tunnel’s construction.
However, progress had stalled since then. Although the government announced plans in the previous fiscal year to build the tunnel connecting Tokha in Kathmandu to Chhahare in Nuwakot, no significant advancements were made.
The new agreement is expected to push the project forward.
Last fiscal year, the government allocated a budget of NPR 1 billion for the detailed project report and environmental impact assessment, but work on the project was delayed.
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