Landmark Tunnel

Stretching from Nagdhunga in Kathmandu to Sisnekhola in Dhading, Nagdhunga Surungmarga (Nagdhunga Tunnel Road), the first tunnel road of its kind, is expected to ease traffic congestion, reduce travel time, improve road safety and give a boost to economic activity and tourism. This section of road, a gateway to Kathmandu, witnesses traffic jams throughout the year. The inauguration of much-awaited tunnel road marks the modernisation of road infrastructure in Nepal. The successful completion of this project is expected to give momentum to similar national pride projects that are under construction in different parts of the country. 

Built with around Rs. 21.5 billion in concessional loans from the Japanese government and Rs. 6 billion from the Nepal government, the tunnel bears international standard, with a modern ventilation system, emergency exits, fire protection equipment, and surveillance cameras. The main tunnel that stretches 2.7 kilometres includes a parallel escape tunnel to enhance safety. The tunnel is expected to reduce travel distance by 8 kilometres and travel time by 30 to 40 minutes. 

During its construction phase, the tunnel provided employment opportunities to engineers, technicians and locals. It has offered valuable knowledge in tunnel engineering and advanced construction techniques, which can be replicated in other projects in Nepal, as tunnel roads are suitable for many mountainous terrains in Nepal. Kathmandu depends on supplies from other parts of Nepal, and during natural calamities and other extreme conditions, the supply chain in Kathmandu often gets disrupted. After the completion of the tunnel, Kathmandu won't have to go through this situation. Likewise, the tunnel would make travel to western Nepal more convenient; better connectivity is expected to boost tourism. 

During the construction of the tunnel that lasted around seven years, the road connecting to the capital city got further damaged and was hardly repaired, adding to travel woes. People experience 3- 4 hours long jam during major festivals. The tunnel is expected to handle around 8,000 vehicles a day once it reaches full capacity. If that traffic volume is achieved, it is projected to generate around Rs. 350 million in annual toll revenue. Although the project was originally scheduled for completion by April 26, 2023, construction was hampered by delays on the part of the contractor, the COVID-19 pandemic, and local obstructions. The construction period for the project—for which the contract was signed on November 14, 2019—was most recently extended until October 25, 2025.

On Monday, the tunnel was jointly inaugurated by Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Nepal Toru Maeda and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Akihiko Tanaka. Minister Lamsal noted that the successful completion of the Nagdhunga Tunnel marked the beginning of a new era in Nepal's transport infrastructure. He said that more tunnels would be constructed across the country. While the inauguration of the tunnel deserves applause, a single infrastructure like this cannot transform the economy of the country. It needs more modern road infrastructure like this. At the same time, we cannot deny the fact that this tunnel alone cannot solve the issue of traffic congestion in the Nagdhunga area. For a long-term solution, our highways need to be upgraded in a timely manner. Nagdhunga-Sisneri tunnel should be the beginning, not the end, of the modernisation of Nepal's road infrastructure.