By Baburam Sharma
Charikot, Jan. 24: Construction of a tunnel has begun at Lamabagar in Bigu Rural Municipality-1 of Dolakha district.
The tunnel is being constructed along the north-southern corridor section of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower project.
MV Dugad Hydropower Company Limited, which has been constructing the 160-megawatt Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower along the Lapchi River, has begun the construction of the tunnel in its own investment just above the dam construction site.

Around 50 metres track of the 1,074.18 metre long and 5.5 metre wide tunnel had already been opened.
Yudhisthir Khadka, chairman of Bigu Rural Municipality, said that after the construction of the tunnel, access road up to China border from Lamabagar would be complete.
After constructing the tunnel, it will be easier to connect Dyanglung, the Chinese border, by opening only a 12 km road, Khadka said.

In lack of proper road connectivity, the people of Lapchi have been facing various difficulties.
Life of the locals here is expected to improve only after the completion of the 32km road section in the area, including the tunnel, the Lapchi locals said.

Five hydropower companies have still been unable to complete their projects due to lack of proper road connectivity in the area, they said.
Human movement comes to a complete halt during monsoon season here. Locals have said that Lamabagar, the oldest border point, will come into operation after the completion of the tunnel.

Lamabagar used to be the main point for transaction before the Tatopani border point was connected with Kathmandu and Lhasa of China.
Although there is still an old customs office at Lamabagar, there is no any economic activity.

Six separate hydropower companies of over 300 MW are in the construction process in the Lapchi and Jum Rivers above Lamabagar. They were unable to forward their construction works because of the dealy in building the tunnel.
Although the road from Bhitthamod in southern Nepal to Lamabagar has been into operation, the road is yet to be connected with China border because of difficult topography.

Opening road tracks in Lapchi section has become difficult also due to lack of availability of petroleum products. The Nasa Hydro Project of MV Dugad Hydropower transported five road digging machines to Lumnang in helicopters to open the track, but the road works could not move ahead in lack of fuel availability.
After the opening of the track, construction of a 235km tri-nation highway connecting India-Nepal-China will be realised.