MALEKHU, July 18: Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala and a team with high officials inspected the (Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola) tunnel today.

Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Nanda Chapai, Member of Parliament Rajendra Prasad Pandey, former Minister of Education Dr Gangalal Tuladhar, senior officials of the Department of Roads and the World Bank inspected the tunnel which is in the final stage of construction.

During the inspection, Minister Jwala instructed the construction company to complete the work within the extended time frame. He said that if any practical complexities arise in the construction process, the government will facilitate them.

Minister Jwala has taken information about the progress and condition of the tunnel. Narayan Duwadi, chief engineer of the tunnel construction company Swachchhanda Nirman Sewa said that about 400 meters of the main tunnel and about 35 meters of the rescue tunnel remain to be dug.

The rescue tunnel will be connected in the next few months and the main tunnel will be connected soon. He said that work has been expedited so that vehicles can pass through the tunnel within the next one year.

The foundation stone of the tunnel was laid in October 2019. Its length is 2.68 km. Two tunnels are being constructed there, a main tunnel of 9 meters width and a rescue tunnel of 4 meters width.

The construction period of the tunnel has been extended by 14 months due to the delay in the work because of Covid-19 and other reasons. According to the extended time, the entire work will be completed and vehicles can be passed through the tunnel by September 2024.

 
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