Kathmandu, March 4

The halt in supply of workers and construction materials, especially from China due to the outbreak and spread of coronavirus, has started affecting some mega projects lately.

Among others, the construction of airport and hydropower projects has been affected severely.

“Most of the ongoing projects rely on construction materials, especially machinery equipment which are supplied from China. However, as supply from China has been halted completely against the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak, construction of different projects has been hit directly,” said an official at the Ministry of Finance.

Similarly, different projects being developed by Chinese contractors have also been affected as Chinese contractors who had gone home to celebrate the Lunar New Year have not returned. While China has controlled the outflow of its citizens, Nepal too is discouraging the inflow of foreigners, especially from countries which have been affected by the virus.

The Gautam Buddha International Airport Project is one such project that has been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Though construction of this project was expected to be completed by March, the project is likely to be delayed as Chinese workers of the project are yet to return. “Though the project was set to be completed within a few months, lack of workers and necessary equipment has hit the project construction, especially finishing works, since the last few weeks,” informed Prabesh Adhikari, chief of the project.

Similarly, construction works at the Pokhara International Airport which is also being developed by a Chinese contractor have been affected due to the coronavirus outbreak as the Chinese workers who had gone home to celebrate the New Year are yet to return.

As per the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, around 350 Chinese workers engaged in different airport construction projects are stuck in China.

Different hydropower projects and transmission line projects have also been affected due to the coronavirus.

Construction of the 400-KV Dhalkebar substation, Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, Tanahu Hydropower Project and Upper Trishuli 3B Project, among others have been affected by the coronavirus.

The Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Co Ltd — a subsidiary company of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) — which is developing the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project has already submitted a letter seeking ‘force majeure’ for the construction works.

“Depending on how the situation pans out, completion date of projects could be pushed back by at least six months to one-and-a-half years,” as per NEA officials.