The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (PMO) held discussions with key stakeholders on Monday to expedite major infrastructure projects, including the operation of the nearly completed Nagdhunga tunnel, the construction of the proposed Tokha-Chahare tunnel, and the blacktopping of the Syaphrubensi-Rasuwagadhi road section.
According to the state-run news agency RSS, the meeting focused on advancing development works from the beginning of the new fiscal year and introducing reforms in traffic management along major highways during the upcoming festive season.
Regarding the Tokha-Chahare tunnel project, the Ministry of Forests and Environment and other relevant agencies were instructed to resolve existing misunderstandings and complete the tasks required by the Chinese side, RSS further reported. This includes preparing and approving the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and conducting the project’s feasibility study, according to Prime Minister's personal secretary Binod Bahadur Kunwar.
The meeting also addressed legal provisions and operational modalities for the Nagdhunga tunnel, which is nearing completion, added RSS. The 2.7-kilometer tunnel is being constructed by the Japanese firm Hazma Ando Corporation under grant assistance from the Government of Japan. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 22 billion, with Rs 16 billion funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Rs 6 billion contributed by the Government of Nepal.
Once operational, the tunnel will shorten the current 9-kilometer Thankot-Naubise road section to 5.7 kilometers and ease congestion on the western entry point to Kathmandu. The project includes two flyovers and an additional 3 kilometers of road, and is expected to be completed by mid-October.
The overall physical progress of the project stands at approximately 89.1%, with 82.5% of pavement works completed, while financial progress has reached 78.7% as of June 4, 2025.
Similarly, discussions were held on the Syaphrubensi-Rasuwagadhi road expansion. While 38 kilometers of the section have already been blacktopped, the remaining 19 kilometers are slated to be contracted in the upcoming fiscal year. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has been tasked with resolving pending issues in this regard, RSS reported
According to the news agency, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisor Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Public Relations Advisor Kiran Paudel, and secretaries Raj Kumar Shrestha, Keshav Kumar Sharma, Rajendra Prasad Mishra, Rabilal Pantha, among others, were present at the meeting.
