The Government of Nepal has announced the construction of three tunnels from the next fiscal year. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has announced the construction of Siddhababa, Lamabagar-Lapche, and Dharan-Leuti tunnels in his budget statement for the coming fiscal year. Out of these three, global tender has been called for Siddhababa tunnel. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nemwang says the construction of three tunnels will pick up speed in the coming fiscal year.
“The construction work of Nagdhunga tunnel has already started,” said Minister Nemwang. “The construction process ofvthe tunnel will move forward by mid-July by preparing the necessary action plan for all the three tunnels.” The construction process of Siddhababa tunnel is much more advanced than Lamabagar-Lapche and Dharan-Leuti. The Quality Research and Development Centre under the Department of Roads has called for a global tender on May 23.
Financial resources have been secured for the construction of Siddhababa tunnel. The Centre for Quality Research and Development has invited tenders for the construction of Siddhababa Tunnel in Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model. The Ministry of Finance has already secured financial resources for the construction of the tunnel last year. Director of Centre, Vijay Jaisi, said that the construction of the tunnel is targeted to be completed within five years. “The global tender for the Siddhababa tunnel has already been called,” he said. “The work on Lamabagar-Lapche and Dharan-Leuti will also move forward in the coming years.”
The then Finance Minister Yuvraj Khatiwada had ensured a budget of Rs10.15 billion for the construction of Siddhababa Tunnel by making a ministerial decision on November 2, 2020. According to Department of Roads, a pre-feasibility study of the north-south connecting Lamabagar-Lapche tunnel has also been completed. The Hydro Tunneling and Research Company will take about half a year to connect Lamabagar and Lapche to the tunnel. Even though priority is given in the budget, there is a tendency of not being interest in implementation.
The government has announced to start construction work of Tokha-Chhare, Betrawati-Safrubesi, Khurkot-Chiabari and Thankot-Chitlang tunnels by preparing detailed project report in the budget of the coming fiscal year. The government has allocated Rs1.99 billion in the coming fiscal year to prepare study reports of more than a dozen tunnels.
By Muna Chand
