KATHMANDU: The Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola tunnel, which connects Kathmandu and Dhading, is set to be inaugurated on Monday. Built at a cost of around Rs 29 billion, the tunnel is being inaugurated seven years after its foundation stone was laid.
The foundation stone for the project was laid in October 2019, by the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Under the original agreement, construction was to be completed within 42 months. However, the project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, land compensation disputes and other factors.
Nearly four years after construction began, the emergency rescue tunnel achieved breakthrough on August 7, 2023. The event was attended by the then Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala, Minister of State Nanda Chapai, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Kikuta Yutaka, and officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
At the time of the rescue tunnel breakthrough, about 82 percent of the main tunnel had been completed, with around 506 meters still to be excavated. The main tunnel achieved breakthrough 10 months later in the presence of the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda.”
The main tunnel is 2.68 kilometers long, while the parallel emergency rescue tunnel extends 2.557 kilometers.
The project was initially financed through a Japanese government loan of Rs 16.5 billion and a Nepal government contribution of Rs 6 billion. However, construction costs increased during implementation, prompting Japan to provide an additional Rs 5 billion in loan assistance. The project was constructed by Japan’s Hazama Ando Corporation.
Although the tunnel will officially come into operation on Monday, access will be introduced in phases. On the first day, only emergency service vehicles will be allowed to use the tunnel. Private and public vehicles will be permitted in stages thereafter. Pedestrians, motorcycles and vehicles carrying diesel, petrol or other flammable materials will not be allowed to use the tunnel.
The tunnel will be operated on a toll basis. Cars will be charged Rs 65 and vans Rs 60 per trip. Minibuses will pay Rs 115, while pickups and tippers will be charged Rs 80. Buses and trucks will pay Rs 260 and Rs 200, respectively. Heavy trucks will be charged Rs 600 and Rs 250, depending on their category, as determined by the government.
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