The government published in the Gazette on Thursday the pre-determined fees for vehicles using the tunnel.
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Final preparations are underway to sign an agreement with a service provider company for the operation of the Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola tunnel. USIN-ART JV has been selected to operate the tunnel. USIN is a Chinese company and ART is a Nepali company.
Preparations are underway to start the test operation of the tunnel from the end of Baisakh, said Saujanya Nepal, director of the Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project. The selected company will manage, repair and manage traffic for five years.
The government announced that it has implemented the previously fixed fee for vehicles using the tunnel by publishing it in the Gazette on Thursday. According to which, cars and vans will be charged Rs 65 when entering Kathmandu and Rs 60 when leaving. The Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project estimates that around 859 such vehicles will enter and 646 will exit daily. Similarly, a toll of Rs 115 has been set for minibuses, trucks and tippers when entering Kathmandu and Rs 80 when leaving. The project says that 540 of these vehicles will enter the valley daily and 406 will exit.
Buses and trucks will have to pay a toll of Rs 260 when entering Kathmandu through the tunnel and Rs 200 when exiting through the same route. The project office estimates that 794 such vehicles will enter and 597 will exit daily. Large trucks and heavy vehicles (lorries) will have to pay a toll of Rs 600 when entering the valley through the tunnel and Rs 250 when exiting. The project estimates that 596 of these vehicles will enter and 448 will exit daily.
The Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola Tunnel Transport Operation Directive, 2081, was also issued on 25 Chaitra. According to the directive, after the tunnel is operational, pedestrians, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and non-motorized vehicles will not be allowed to enter the tunnel. Vehicles carrying highly flammable and explosive materials, including diesel, petrol, gas, etc., will also be prohibited in the tunnel route.
The construction of the tunnel began on 4 Kartik 2076. According to this, the work should be completed within 42 months from the start of construction. However, despite repeated extensions, the work has not been completed. The main tunnel, which is 98 percent complete, is 2,688 meters long and the emergency tunnel is 2,557 meters long. The tunnel is being constructed by the Japanese company Hazma Endo Corporation. Although the construction work has been completed, the tunnel operation has been delayed due to the failure to select a service provider company on time.
