KATHMANDU, June 17: Authorities have begun final preparations to bring the long-awaited Nagdhunga Naubise Tunnel into operation from the Nepali month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). The tunnel is expected to ease traffic movement along the busy Nagdhunga Naubise road section, the main entry and exit point for Kathmandu Valley.
Project Director Saujanya Nepal said nearly all construction work inside the tunnel has been completed. At present, officials are conducting tests related to emergency response, including rescue operations and traffic management procedures in case of accidents inside the tunnel. Only landslide prevention and slope stabilization work outside the tunnel remain to be completed.
The Nagdhunga Naubise Tunnel has a total length of 2,688 metres. Under the original contract agreement, the project was scheduled to be completed by April 26, 2023. However, delays by the contractor and obstruction from local residents slowed construction and pushed back the completion date.
Nagdhunga-Naubise tunnel route to undergo breakthrough tomorrow...
According to project officials, operational drills and management exercises are currently underway to ensure the tunnel is ready for public use. Preparations have also advanced for toll collection, including the selection of a bank and the printing of payment cards.
Motorists will be able to pay toll fees in three ways: through cash payments, QR code-based digital payments and electronic sticker tags attached to vehicles that can be read by high-capacity cameras at the toll gates.
Through a competitive bidding process, Yusin ART Company secured a five-year contract worth Rs 1.10 billion to operate, manage and maintain the tunnel. The company will collect toll revenues and deposit them into the account of Road Board Nepal. Ten companies had participated in the bidding process. The tunnel will operate around the clock throughout the year.
Project Director Nepal said about 150 personnel will be deployed for tunnel operations and management. During peak daytime traffic hours, up to 40 staff members will be stationed at the facility. He added that all remaining preparations are expected to be completed by the end of the current month so that vehicles can begin using the tunnel soon afterward.
According to project estimates, more than 8,000 small and large vehicles, excluding motorcycles, travel through the Nagdhunga Naubise checkpoint each day. Officials expect around 60 percent of those vehicles to use the tunnel once it becomes operational. Motorcycles will not be permitted inside.
The government fixed tunnel toll rates through a gazette notification published on April 8, 2026. Cars, vans, pickups, tractors, microbuses and other light vehicles will pay Rs 65 when entering Kathmandu and Rs 60 when leaving the Valley.
Minibuses and mini trucks will be charged Rs 125 for entering Kathmandu and Rs 80 for exiting. Buses and single-rear-axle trucks will pay Rs 260 when entering and Rs 200 when leaving. Multi-axle trucks and heavy equipment vehicles will be charged Rs 600 for entering Kathmandu and Rs 250 for exiting.
Once operational, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time, improve road safety and ease congestion along one of Nepal's busiest highway corridors.
