Nepalese officials visiting Japan to observe tunnel technology
21 May 2014Eight Nepalese government officials have embarked on a week-long visit to Japan on Tuesday 20 May to learn about the tunnel construction technologies to be applied in the transport sector.
The observation visit supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will be led by the Secretary of Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) Tulasi Prasad Sitaula. He will be accompanied by Joint Srecretary MoPIT Rajendra Prasad Nepal, Director General of the Department of Roads Devendra Karki, Deputy Director General of the DoR Keshab Sharma and other officials.
Issuing a press statement, JICA said that the observation includes site visit at Hanabuchiyama Tunnel in Miyagi Prefecture and tunnel and Sprial Bridge in Saitama Prefecture. Tunnel specialists in Japan will deliver the briefings and important information to the Nepalese officials on tunnels and their construction technologies.
According to the statement, the Nepali government has long been planning to build a tunnel road on the Nagdhunga-Naubise Segment and has also conducted a feasibility study last year which concluded that a 2.3km tunnel linking Imakhel of Nagdhunga with Sisnekhola of Naubise was viable.
Japan is one of the most advanced tunnelling countries in the world 2,800km of road tunnel has been constructed up to 2012. "As Japan and Nepal's hilly topography is similar, there is a high possibility that Nepal can get necessary information about Japanese tunnel technology from the observation visit," the statement added.
