Key Takeaways:

• Equipment flown by Nepal Army helicopter on Aug 11, stranded at Triveni Patan
• 4,000kg of materials must be carried manually to the installation site
• Technical team returned after delays; no new deployment date fixed
• Tower unlikely to be operational before Badimalika fair on Aug 27

BAJURA, AUGUST 17 Millions of rupees worth of equipment for a Nepal Telecom 4G tower has already been flown to the remote Badimalika area by a Nepal Army helicopter, but the tower itself remains uncertain with no date fixed for the return of the technical team. The equipment was transported to Triveni Patan on August 11 because the lack of road access made it difficult to move the materials by land. However, bad weather prevented the helicopter from landing at the actual installation site, leaving the equipment at Triveni Patan. According to Ishwar Singh, chief engineer at Nepal Telecom's Bajura office, a technical team had reached Badimalika about a week before the equipment arrived but returned after adverse weather delayed the delivery. No decision has yet been made on when another technical team will be sent to install the tower. The logistical challenge has not ended with the helicopter delivery. Around 4,000 kg of equipment and other materials must still be carried manually from Triveni Patan to the tower site, Singh said.

Chief District Officer Dorendra Niraula said Badimalika Municipality has deployed a team to transport the equipment from Triveni Patan to the installation site. The team began carrying the materials on Sunday. However, with the technical team's deployment still uncertain, the 4G tower is unlikely to be operational before the upcoming Badimalika fair, according to local officials. The timing has added urgency to the project. Worship at the Badimalika temple begins from August 17, according to temple priest Netra Padhyay, as the number of visitors heading to the religious site has started to increase. The main Badimalika fair will be held on August 27 this year. The project had been pushed forward after Communications Minister Dr Timilsina directed Nepal Telecom to initiate the necessary process to expand telephone and internet services in the Badimalika area.