Kathmandu, July 27: Nepal’s first road tunnel officially came into operation on Monday. Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal formally inaugurated the Nagdhunga-Sisneri Tunnel, a 2.68-km section of the Prithvi Highway at the western gateway to the Kathmandu Valley, during a ceremony attended by government officials and diplomats.
The tunnel, built with concessional loan assistance from the Japanese government, is expected to reduce travel time by 20 to 30 minutes. At present, vehicles must navigate the winding mountain road at Nagdhunga to enter Kathmandu, making the journey slow and time-consuming.
Following the inauguration, Lamsal told journalists that similar road tunnels would now be built across the country. “We will build more tunnels like this throughout the country. We have learned many lessons during the construction of this project. We have now formally entered the tunnel era,” he said.
Another major tunnel project, the Siddhababa Tunnel in western Nepal’s Palpa District, is currently under construction. The Nepali government has also been conducting feasibility studies for around two dozen additional road tunnel projects in various parts of the country, according to the Department of Roads.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Maeda Toru said the project brought together Japanese technical expertise and the dedication and skills of Nepali professioynals. Maeda said Japanese experts had worked closely with Nepali engineers. (IANS)
