The Nagdhunga-Naubise tunnel route is set to undergo its breakthrough today. Nabin Man Shrestha, the head of the Nagdhunga-Naubise tunnel project, announced that the tunnel road, which has been under construction for four and a half years, will be ready for breakthrough at 12:45 PM on Monday.
According to him, a ceremony is being held on the occasion of the opening of the main tunnel. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Deputy Prime Minister and Physical Infrastructure Minister Raghubir Mahaseth will participate in the ceremony.
The project has also invited former prime minister and UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli. The construction of the tunnel began in October 2019 during Oli’s tenure as the prime minister. Additionally, parliamentarians from Kathmandu and Dhading, along with local representatives, have been invited.
Although the contract stipulated that the tunnel construction should be completed within 42 months, obstacles from the locals of Dhading and the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the project timeline. Even after the breakthrough, it will take some time before the tunnel becomes operational.
Several tasks, including road slope adjustment, oxygen and temperature control, telephone connectivity, ventilation, and lighting, are pending. Concrete lining, flyover construction, access road development, and installation of ventilation and emergency equipment are among the tasks that need to be completed in the tunnel.
According to Shrestha, the project head, “Completing concrete lining, flyover construction, access road development, and installing lights, ventilation, and emergency equipment will take time. Our estimation is that it will require at least one more year.”
