Opening expected by Dashain
KATHMANDU, May 8: The Department of Roads (DoR) has proposed a toll ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 500 for vehicles using the Nagdhunga Tunnel Road, with plans to open the tunnel to traffic by the upcoming Dashain festival.
The DoR's Development Assistance Implementation Division has drafted the operating procedures for the tunnel. Arjun Aryal, joint secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the department's spokesperson, stated that the ministry plans to approve the draft within a few days. He also confirmed that the DoR aims to allow vehicles to use the tunnel by Dashain.
The final deadline for completing the tunnel project is set for mid-October 2025. The contractor is working to hand over the tunnel by this deadline, according to the Nagdhunga Tunnel Road Project.
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"The contractor has committed to handing over the project to the DoR by mid-October," Aryal said. "Once we receive the tunnel, we will immediately begin vehicle operations, as there will be no reason to delay."
An official from the division explained that vehicles, ranging from small four-wheelers to large 12-14-wheel trucks, will have to pay a toll before entering the tunnel. Motorcycles and flammable vehicles carrying diesel or petrol will not be allowed entry. Motorcycles will be allowed to pass through only if they are transported inside another vehicle.
The proposed toll includes Rs 50 for small vehicles, Rs 200 for buses, and up to Rs 500 for large trucks. Vehicles entering and returning via the same tunnel route will pay separate tolls based on their direction of travel.
The draft operating procedure outlines the model, method, and rules for vehicle operations inside the tunnel. A senior ministry official admitted delays in preparing these procedures, attributing the holdup to the fact that this is Nepal's first tunnel project of its kind.
Another official noted that they have yet to decide who will collect the toll. However, preparations are underway to assign this task to the private sector through a tender process.
The company responsible for toll collection will also provide essential services inside the tunnel, such as oxygen, fire control, security, and communication. Additionally, the toll-collecting organization will cover the costs of electricity within the tunnel. The ministry official explained that, given the novelty of this project, delays in preparing the operating procedure were inevitable but that future tunnel projects would be easier to implement.
The Nagdhunga Tunnel Road Project also reports that the construction work of the tunnel is nearly complete. Initiated in 2019, the project has seen its deadline extended twice. The Japanese contractor company Hazama-Ando JV is handling the construction, with a concessional loan of Rs 16 billion from JICA and an additional Rs 9 billion spent by the Nepal government on compensation and other expenses.
The project has completed underpasses, box culverts, overpasses, and three bridges leading to the tunnel. The construction of the flyover (overpass) is almost complete, according to the project.
