Breakthrough in Nagdhunga Tunnel

KATHMANDU: The Nagdhunga Tunnel made a breakthrough on Monday.

The Nagdhunga Tunnel is considered as a significant project to take Nepal towards an era of tunnel roads.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today switched on the electric control for the breakthrough of the tunnel from both the Dhading and Kathmandu sides. The tunnel connects Sisnekhola of Dhading to Totipakha of Chandragiri Municipality-1 in Kathmandu.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Raghubir Mahaseth and other government senior officials were present on the occasion.

Likewise, federal lawmakers and Province Assembly members were there to witness the breakthrough ceremony.

According to the Project, the tunnel road will come into regular operation for traffic after a year. Its total length is 2,688 meters. The breakthrough in the evacuation tunnel was undertaken in July-August, 2023.

However, it will take some time to fix lights, and oxygen pipes and upgrade the road inside the tunnel, it is said. The total cost of the Project is around Rs 22 billion.  It is being developed by the Japanese company Hazma Ando Corporation.