SUNDARIJAL TUNNEL
27.771800,85.426500
Description
The man-made, an estimated 15 m long and man-sized overflow tunnel (vaulted ceiling above vertical walls, level floor, and --as I remember after a lapse of 20 years -- about 3 m high and wide; cement coated, probably excavated from Gneiss of Precambrian age) of the reservoir and hydro-electric powerstation at Sundarijal in the upper reaches of the Bagmati River on the southern flank of the Shivapuri range. CAVE LIFE: On 1st March 1990 I saw a few bats (Chiroptera) using the moist twilight zone as a dayroost in spite of a noteworthy air current (draught). THAPA, S (2010.05.15: 28) reports having spotted (perhaps on 13th September 2008) at Sundarijal Tunnel three adult males of Hipposideros armiger Hodgson 1835.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1990.03.01: H. D. Gebauer strolled up to Sundarijal and had a quick look at the tunnel. 2008.09.13: Somebody recorded a GPS reading (unspecified precision error, unidentified geodedic datum) for the Sundarijal tunnel at N 27° 46' 18.5', E 85° 25' 35.4' at an altitude 1579 m (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 25-26).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | MATRIKAS, Sundarijal (Cave of the) | ||
| 3.4 | TARAGIRI (Cave on) | ||
| 4.9 | SUNTAKHAN GUPHA | ||
| 5.0 | GUPTESHWAR CAVE, Gokarna | ||
| 6.2 | SANKHU CAVE 1st | ||
| 6.2 | SANKHU CAVE 2nd | ||
| 6.2 | SANKHU CAVE 3rd | ||
| 6.2 | SANKHU CAVE 4th | ||
| 6.2 | SANKHU CAVE 5th |