Only Rs 43.5 million allocated for road tunnel studies

KATHMANDU: With three tunnel road projects in different stages of construction, the government has decided to conduct studies for several tunnel road projects in the current fiscal year.

Although the government has allocated Rs 670.1 million for the Tunnel Road Development Program for the 2026/27 fiscal year, which begins in mid-July, the bulk of the funds has been allocated to one ongoing project. Similarly, Rs 126.6 million has been allocated for the Gwarko-Satdobato-Ekantakuna Flyover Project. This leaves only Rs 43.5 million for the study of the remaining tunnel road projects.

The push for new tunnel projects comes as Nepal’s first road tunnel nears completion. The construction of the Nagdhunga–Naubise Sisnekhola Tunnel, a 2.7-kilometer project on the crucial Kalanki-Naubise Road, has been completed and is undergoing technical preparations before opening to traffic.

Similarly, the Siddhababa Tunnel Road Project on the Siddhartha Highway, which links Pokhara with the Nepal-India border at Belahiya, is also nearing completion.

Meanwhile, six road tunnels—Lendanda, Dhedre, Mahadevtar, Devichaur, Sisautar and Chandrambhir—are under construction on the Kathmandu–Terai/Madhes Fast Track.

Road tunnel projects, which have received funds to conduct needful studies in the current fiscal year, include Tokha–Chhahare Gurju Bhanjyang (Kathmandu/Nuwakot), Dolalghat–Charnawati (Sindhupalchowk/Dolakha), Hattisar–Babai (Dang), Khurkot–Chiyabari (Sindhuli), Shivapur–Bhalubang (Kapilvastu/Dang), and Ranighat–Bhurigaun (Bardiya/Surkhet) routes.

In the budget speech, the government said it would conduct a detailed feasibility study of the Tokha-Chahare road tunnel and a feasibility study of the Mulsam-Topla road tunnel (Jajarkot/Jumla). The budget document also said studies will be conducted for Khurkot-Chiyabari, Thankot-Chilang, Majhimtar-Shaktikhor and Chisapani Babai road tunnels.

However, Mulsam-Topla, Thankot-Chilang, Majhimtar-Shaktikhor and Chisapani-Babai tunnels have not been included in the ministry’s Tunnel Road Development Program for the current fiscal year.

Funds set aside for Tunnel Road Development Program