The Nagdhunga–Sisne Khola tunnel will come into operation from Monday. The tunnel is set to open after 80 months of construction. The tunnel will remain open 24 hours a day.

In the first phase, the tunnel will be opened for emergency vehicles, according to Soujanya Nepal, Director of the Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project. “On the first day, the tunnel will be open for ambulances, fire-fighting vehicles, and security vehicles,” he said. “After that, we will gradually open it to other vehicles in phases.”

Vehicles carrying highly flammable substances such as diesel, petrol, gas, and explosives are prohibitedTolls have already been set for vehicles using the tunnel. Cars and vans entering Kathmandu will have to pay a fee of 65 rupees, and 60 rupees when exiting. For minibuses, trucks, and tippers, the fee is set at 115 rupees when entering Kathmandu and 80 rupees when exiting. Buses and trucks entering Kathmandu via the tunnel will have to pay 260 rupees, and 200 rupees when exiting via the same route.

Large trucks and heavy vehicles (lorries) will have to pay a toll of 600 rupees when entering the valley through the tunnel and 250 rupees when exiting. Pedestrians, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and non-motorized vehicles will not be allowed to enter the tunnel. Vehicles carrying highly flammable substances such as diesel, petrol, gas, and explosives are prohibited from using the tunnel.

Vehicles using the tunnel will be able to pay digitally, according to Ganesh Bahadur KC, Executive Director of the Road Board Nepal. An N-Tag system based on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology has been arranged in the form of a sticker, allowing toll payment in the tunnel.

“The N-Tag sticker must be affixed to the front windshield of the vehicle, which will be read by a machine at the gate,” he said. “The gate will open within 30 seconds.” Initially, tolls can be paid either with the N-Tag or in cash, whichever is more convenient, he said. “For now, Kumari, Nabil, Global IME, Nepal Investment Mega, and Sanima Bank have signed agreements with the Board for digital payment,” he added.

Currently, arrangements have been made to obtain N-Tags with cash values of one, two, and five thousand rupees. N-Tags can be obtained by contacting the respective banks. For Indian vehicles, cash payment will continue to be accepted as before, he said.

The responsibility for tunnel operation has been given to Yusin–ART JV. Yusin is a Chinese company and ART is Nepali. There will be 150 employees in the tunnel. The service provider company will have to manage and operate the tunnel for five years. The company will be responsible for tunnel maintenance, traffic management, emergency rescue, toll collection, and overall supervision of the tunnel and the access roads connecting both Kathmandu and Dhading.

The construction of the tunnel began after then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli laid the foundation stone at Tutipakha, Chandragiri Municipality–2, on Kartik 4, 2076. Although construction began with the goal of completion within 42 months, the Ministry of Infrastructure says it was delayed due to COVID-19 and other reasons. The construction contract was awarded to Japanese company Hazama Ando Corporation.