The construction of the Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola tunnel road, considered significant in connecting different parts of the country, has reached its final phase. Within a year, all the construction work will be completed, and the Surung road will be operational.
The Surung road is expected to be beneficial in reducing traffic congestion in the Kathmandu Valley entry point of Nagdhunga, saving fuel, and reducing air pollution for convenient travel. The main tunnel construction of the Surung road is still 525 meters away from completion, while the ‘Rescue Tunnel,’ constructed for emergency situations, has 74 meters remaining to be excavated. This information was provided during the event held on July 29.
The total length of the main Surung road is 2,088 meters, with the eastern section being 969 meters and the western section being 1,193 meters. The connecting cross passages, known as ‘Crossover Passages,’ are excavated at a length of 115 meters. Their combined length is 228 meters.
The physical progress of Surung road construction has reached 89.20% so far, while the total progress in terms of planning is 55.13% and financial progress is 58.70%.
Minister Prakash Jwala, Minister Nanda Chapai, Rajendra Prasad Pande, a representative from Dhading, former Minister Gangalal Tuladhar, and high-level officials from the Ministry, including Secretary Keshav Kumar Sharma, conducted an inspection of the project site today.
After the on-site inspection, Minister Jwala directed the authorities to complete the project within the stipulated time and emphasized the Ministry’s maximum efforts to resolve even the minor issues. According to the project’s schedule, the construction of the ‘Rescue Tunnel’ will be completed within a few days, and preparations are underway to excavate the main Surung tunnel in the near future.
Within the next year, it will be possible to operate vehicles on the road at a rapid pace, as mentioned by the concerned officials. The Surung road was inaugurated in Kartik 2076 (October/November 2019). Due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, the construction period of the Surung road was extended. According to the latest update, it is expected to be completed by Asar 2081 (June/July 2024).
The Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola road, which connects the major cities and the capital city, Kathmandu, passes through the Narayangadh-Muglin-Naubise-Kathmandu section in Nagdhunga Bhansyang. The government completed various stages of survey work for the project in Magh 2069 (January/February 2013). The Surung road is expected to improve the condition of the road network, provide better connectivity to other parts of the country and major cities, save travel time and expenses, and ensure safer travel.
The total estimated cost of the project is NPR 20.60 billion, with a grant of NPR 15.80 billion provided by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and NPR 4.80 billion provided by the Government of Nepal. The loan from the Japanese government carries an interest rate of zero percent for the first ten years, with repayment scheduled over 40 years. The loan agreement between the Nepalese and Japanese governments was signed on December 22, 2017. Endo Corporation, a Japanese company, was awarded the contract for the construction of the Surung road.
The project is currently constructing a ‘Flyover’ in Balambu, and the construction of the eastern and western access roads is ongoing. The construction of retaining walls and other permanent structures is planned for the western part of the project to control landslides. Local residents have been requesting immediate action to resolve issues regarding the demolition of nearly 60 houses in the project area. The Department of Urban Development has initiated a necessary study to address these issues, and the Ministry is preparing to provide compensation based on the reports. Additionally, the project has proposed land acquisition for landslide control. The distribution of compensation will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting.
However, there is no agreement on demolishing a particular house in Balambu. There is a dispute regarding the compensation and ownership of the house, causing problems. The area of the land differs in the map and the Lalpurja (land ownership document), and there is also a dispute over the compensation amount, even after understanding it. The land is under the criteria of roads and Rajkul (government land measurement), resulting in a small portion of the land remaining, and locals have demanded compensation for the entire land.
The government assured that the project has been given high priority and Minister Jwala provided information on its progress, expressing his belief that the project will contribute to Nepal’s development and the Surung era.
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