Nepal’s first modern road tunnel, the Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola Tunnel, has officially opened for operation. The tunnel was inaugurated on Monday in the presence of Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal, Japanese Ambassador Maeda Toru and Tanaka Akihiko, president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Following the inauguration, the tunnel will initially be opened only for emergency vehicles. According to Saujanya Nepal, director of the Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project, ambulances, fire engines and security vehicles will be allowed to use the tunnel on the first day of operation.

Authorities have already fixed toll charges for vehicles using the tunnel. Pedestrians, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and non-motorised vehicles will not be allowed inside. Vehicles carrying highly flammable materials, including diesel, petrol and gas, as well as explosives, have also been prohibited from entering the tunnel.

To facilitate electronic toll payments, authorities have introduced N-Tags based on radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. Users can currently purchase N-Tags loaded with Rs1,000, Rs2,000 or Rs5,000 in cash.

The tunnel will be operated and managed by the Yusin-ART Joint Venture for five years, while Japan’s Hazama Ando Corporation will handle maintenance for the first year under a separate agreement.

The project was built with around Rs21.5 billion in concessional loans from Japan and Rs6 billion from the Nepal government. The Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola Tunnel has entered operation 80 months after construction began.