KATHMANDU: The government has issued a special directive to remove legal hurdles for the operation and management of the Nagdhunga–Naubise tunnel.
The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers published the “barriers removal order” in the Nepal Gazette on Tuesday.
Currently, the Public Procurement Act, 2006 and its regulations do not include provisions for procuring services related to the operation and management of modern infrastructure such as tunnels, expressways, and flyovers.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, since regular operation, management and maintenance of such projects cannot be handled by the existing mechanisms, the directive has paved the legal way to select a company for operating the Nagdhunga–Naubise tunnel.
About 95% of work of the country’s first road tunnel has already been completed. The government plans to bring it into operation by January.
According to the project office, the tender documents will be approved by the Public Procurement Monitoring Office by mid-September and the bidding process will be initiated subsequently.
