Image source, Road Board Nepal
The Nagdhunga Tunnel Road, designed to reduce travel time by nearly half an hour for commuters coming into the Kathmandu Valley from various districts, is in the final preparation stage and is expected to be operational by the upcoming month of Shrawan.
However, the official opening date is yet to be finalized as preparations in three key areas for the commercial operation of Nepal’s first modern tunnel road remain incomplete.
“The service provider managing the tunnel operations is currently deploying teams to conduct preliminary preparations,” said Saujanya Nepal, Director of the Tunnel Road Construction Project. “Before full operation, internal drills are underway to manage emergency rescues, system operations, and traffic flow management within the tunnel.”
The 2,688-meter-long tunnel from Nagdhunga in Kathmandu to Sisnekhola in Dhading will shorten the Naubise-Kathmandu road route by approximately three kilometers and is expected to reduce the travel time to about 20 minutes. However, users will have to pay separate toll fees both when entering and exiting Kathmandu through this shorter route.
According to Ganesh Bahadur KC, Executive Director of the Road Board Nepal, which is the government body responsible for toll collection on this tunnel road, an agreement has been made with private commercial banks to issue ‘RFID cards’ for digital toll payment.
“The board will operate a payment system based on RFID technology using N-tags and QR codes. If payment is made in cash, the amount must be deposited at the bank by 10 a.m. the next day,” KC explained.
Road Board Nepal prioritizes digital toll collection for selected vehicles traveling through the tunnel.
Targeting vehicles that use this route regularly, the board plans to use RFID-based N-tags for payment via radio frequency.
KC added that these cards will be preloaded with credit, which will be automatically deducted upon usage of the tunnel road. This technology is being introduced for the first time in Nepal.
Road Board Nepal and the banks have prepared a system where the financial amount loaded onto the card will be automatically deducted when the card is affixed to the vehicle’s windshield.
Outstanding Preparations
Image source, Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project
The project has indicated that emergency rescue exercises need to be completed before the tunnel opens for commercial use.
“In case a vehicle breaks down or crashes inside the tunnel, a coordinated team including armed police, municipal firefighters, and medical personnel will conduct rehearsals to safely evacuate passengers and vehicles. The tunnel will open to the public only after successful practice drills,” Director Nepal stated.
Coordination with relevant stakeholders for this process is ongoing.
Road Board Nepal has already established the physical infrastructure, including the toll plaza, and a bank has been selected for toll collections.
“The board is in the final stages of integrating its systems with the tunnel operational procedures,” said Project Chief Nepal.
Currently, vehicles entering and exiting Kathmandu via Nagdhunga are inspected by police at the Thankot checkpoint, but the police infrastructure for checking vehicles using the tunnel route is yet to be established.
There will be no traffic police stationed inside the tunnel. However, with CCTV cameras installed throughout, officials will monitor traffic from control rooms, according to authorities.
Preparations for Phased Operation of the Tunnel
Image source, Nepal Photo Library
According to Director Nepal, initial discussions are focused on permitting only light four-wheeled vehicles like cars to use the tunnel.
“Since this is the first tunnel, the risks involved are not fully understood. Therefore, opening it to all vehicles at once carries unknown risks, which is why a phased opening approach is being considered,” Nepal explained.
The Chinese company operating the tunnel has recruited 150 staff, including five foreigners. About 30 to 40 employees will be engaged daily in three shifts managing toll collection, surveillance, and maintenance, the project revealed.
The tunnel project stated that efforts have been made to train Nepalese citizens with skills enabling them to participate in tunnel operations.
Annual operational and maintenance costs for the tunnel are estimated at around 220 million NPR.
Ganesh Bahadur KC from Road Board Nepal estimates that roughly 10,000 vehicles currently commute daily through Thankot.
“We anticipate that initially 80% of the vehicles will use this tunnel, which will gradually reduce to 60% over time,” KC said.
What Are the Toll Fees?
Image source, Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project
Toll fees have been set according to the type of vehicle, ranging from NPR 60 to NPR 600.
Amounts collected will be deposited into the Road Board Nepal’s account. The project chief Nepal explained that the board has agreed to cover salaries and other expenses for employees of the tunnel operating company.
Each car and van entering the federal capital Kathmandu via the tunnel will pay a toll of NPR 65 upon entry and NPR 60 upon exit.
Minibuses and minitrucks will be required to pay NPR 115 when entering Kathmandu and NPR 80 when exiting through the tunnel.
Buses and trucks will pay NPR 260 when entering and NPR 200 when exiting Kathmandu.
Heavier equipment vehicles have slightly higher fees; they will pay NPR 600 when entering and NPR 250 when exiting Kathmandu.
