An energy expert has suggested that temporarily operating the ready-to-use Nagdhunga-Sisne Tunnel Route could provide some relief amid the current fuel crisis. According to the plan, a Chinese company, in partnership with a Nepali firm, has already been selected to manage the route’s operation. The agreement is expected to be signed during the first week of Baisakh (mid-April).
The 2,688-meter-long tunnel is set to reduce the distance on the Naubise-Kathmandu highway by approximately three kilometers, cutting the average travel time by about 20 minutes. Experts have noted that the tunnel will help bypass uphill slopes, sharp turns, and congestion-prone areas.
One study estimates that around 14,000 vehicles use the highway daily, with 7,000 to 8,000 four-wheeled vehicles traveling each day, according to Soujanya Nepal, the project chief of the tunnel route. Two-wheeled motorcycles and three-wheeled tempos will not be permitted to operate through the tunnel. Additionally, vehicles carrying highly flammable materials, including fuel, will be prohibited from entering. “Pedestrians will also not be allowed in the tunnel,” stated project chief Nepal.
The Nagdhunga-Sisne Tunnel is regarded as Nepal’s first modern transportation tunnel. While there are tunnels constructed for some hydroelectric projects, this is the first modern tunnel built specifically for commercial road use, according to tunnel expert Shree Ram Nyaupane. Nepal’s earliest known tunnel, located near Churiyamai Temple in Bara and built during the Rana period in 1918 under then-Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher, is no longer in use. Meanwhile, tunnel construction is ongoing for the Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhesh Fast Track and the Siddhababa area in Palpa.
National Independent Party MP and Energy Department head Nyaupane explained, “Vehicles consume significantly more fuel when traveling uphill with heavy loads.” “Financially, this tunnel will offer substantial savings by reducing unnecessary fuel consumption.” He also noted that temporary operation of the tunnel could help address the current fuel shortage and that he has raised this issue with the government through his party.
“While this temporary operation may provide some relief for energy-related problems, the government must make a decisive move to proceed,” Nyaupane added.
