KATHMANDU: The Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola Tunnel has been formally inaugurated, marking a major milestone in Nepal’s transport infrastructure development.
Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal inaugurated the tunnel in the presence of Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Maeda Toru and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Dr. Tanaka Akihiko.
However, the tunnel will not be opened to all vehicles immediately. According to Project Deputy Director Sanjay Panthi, only ambulances, fire engines, security vehicles and other essential service vehicles will be allowed during the initial phase.
After a trial operation period of around three months and an assessment of safety measures and traffic management, other vehicles will be permitted to use the tunnel in phases.
The foundation stone for the project was laid by then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in October 2019, while the breakthrough of the main tunnel was completed by then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on June 17, 2024. The tunnel was inaugurated during the premiership of Balendra Shah.
The project office said no toll fee will be charged during the trial operation period. Once regular services begin, vehicles will be charged according to their categories.
According to the Department of Roads, cars will be charged Rs 65 while entering Kathmandu and Rs 60 while exiting, while vans will pay the same rates. Minibuses will pay Rs 115 for entry and Rs 80 for exit, while buses and trucks will be charged Rs 260 and Rs 200, respectively. Earlier, the government had approved toll charges ranging from Rs 60 to Rs 600 depending on vehicle type.
Pedestrians, motorcycles, scooters, three-wheelers and vehicles carrying flammable or explosive materials, including diesel, petrol and gas, will not be permitted to use the tunnel.
The tunnel, completed after around 80 months of construction, is considered a significant achievement in Nepal’s infrastructure sector. It connects Totipakha in Dahachok, Chandragiri Municipality-1, Kathmandu, with Sisnekhola in Dhunibesi Municipality, Dhading.
The project is expected to reduce travel time by around one hour by bypassing traffic congestion, steep climbs and winding sections along the existing Nagdhunga road corridor.
The tunnel project was built at a cost of around Rs 25 billion, financed through a concessional loan from the Japanese government and investment from the Government of Nepal. Of the total expenditure, around Rs 17 billion was spent on construction, approximately Rs 2 billion on exchange rate fluctuations and increased construction material costs, and around Rs 6 billion on land acquisition and compensation.
A total of 480 ropanis of land were acquired for the project. Although the original completion target was 42 months, construction was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and various technical and administrative challenges. The tunnel’s opening is expected to mark a new phase in improving connectivity between Kathmandu and western Nepal.
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