Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ inaugurated the breakthrough of Nagdhunga tunnel connecting Sisne Khola of Dhading and Balambu of Kathmandu amidst a ceremony on Monday.
The tunnel connecting Sisne Khola of Dhading and Balambu of Kathmandu achieved a breakthrough this morning. This is the first tunnel passage ever constructed in Nepal which is 2.6-km long. It is being constructed at the concessional loan of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Out of 22 billion rupees worth project, JICA has invested around 16 billion rupees in the project while the remaining amount has been funded by the Nepal government.
Even though a breakthrough has been achieved, some issues related to land have posed hassles, according to Bhimarjun Adhikari, the chief of the Development Cooperation and Quality Standard Division under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.
“The issues related to land for the construction of a flyover and the construction of a refreshing center towards Sisne Khola have to be settled,” said Adhikari, “The vehicles will ply the road only after concrete work will be over.”
The construction of this tunnel is said to reduce the distance of Prithvi Highway by 5 kilometers. Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had inaugurated the tunnel highway construction on October 21, 2019.
Japanese construction Company Hazama Ando Corporation has been building the tunnel highway.
