Breakthrough made in Dhedre tunnel of Fast Track project

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 6: Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhes Fast Track (Expressway) has made a breakthrough on both sides of the Dhedre tunnel. 

The breakthrough on the same section of the Dhedre tunnel coming towards Kathmandu from Nijgadh was achieved last May. The distance is 1.65 km.

The breakthrough on the 1.728 km section of the tunnel from Kathmandu to Nijgadh was achieved on Monday as the earth was excavated.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced the breakthrough by pressing the switch of explosive materials on Monday in Dhedre of Makwanpur district. 

Similarly, two tunnels are being excavated in Mahadevtar, one entering Kathmandu and the other going from Kathmandu to Nijgadh. 

Out of the 3,386 metres of the tunnel coming from Kathmandu to Nijgadh, 2,288 metres have been excavated so far. Similarly, out of the 3,322 metres of the tunnel coming towards Kathmandu from Nijgadh, 2,029 metres have been excavated, according to Project Chief and Technical Brigadier General Bikash Pokhrel. 

The total distance of the Fast Track is 70.977 km, of which only 64.47 km has been contracted through biddings, according to the Project Office.  

The 6.5 km section of the Khokana segment has not been contracted. According to the army, the total road includes 10.30 km of tunnels and 12.88 km of sky bridges of Asian Highway standards. 

According to the Nepali Army Spokesperson and Brigadier General Gaurav Kumar KC, contracts for three out of six tunnels have been signed and work is underway.

The remaining three tunnels are in the design phase. Out of the 3.32 km Mahadevtar tunnel towards Kathmandu from Nijgadh, 2.029 km has been excavated. 

Out of the 3.386 km tunnel from Kathmandu to Nijgadh, 2.288 km has been excavated. The army has claimed that the excavation work of this tunnel would be completed within the current fiscal year.

The 1.612 km Lendanda tunnel on the way towards Kathmandu from Nijgadh achieved a breakthrough on July 4. The 1.633 km tunnel on the way from Kathmandu to Nijgadh achieved a breakthrough on May 17. 

The Project Office has said that 82.89 per cent of the excavation work for the three under-construction tunnels has been completed.

Similarly, out of 89 bridges, contracts have been managed for 85, and work is underway. The remaining four bridges fall under the Khokana segment, so the contracts have not been finalised, said the office. 

So far, five bridges under contract have been completed. On May 4, 2017, the responsibility for the construction management of the Fast Track Project was given to the Nepali Army through a Cabinet decision. So far, the physical progress of the overall project is 35.38 per cent.