Kathmandu, January 20

The government has initiated the process to resume the construction of 220 kV Marshyangdi Corridor Electricity Transmission Line, which has been facing obstacles since almost one year in Gorkha.

Asking the government to change route of the transmission line project, locals of Gorkha district, especially of Palungtar Municipality, Ward No 4 and 5, have been halting construction of the project since almost a year.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) had initially prepared the project’s design whereby the transmission line would be constructed along the Marshyangdi River.

But NEA had later changed the route after the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal stated that construction of the transmission line along Marshyangdi River would affect landing and take off of flights at the Palungtar Airport.

NEA has designed the new route for the transmission line construction along settlements and forest area ensuring that flights and the planned Smart City in Palungtar will not be affected.

The 37-kilometre transmission line will be constructed along Garambesi to Marki Chowk. As per NEA, 16 towers will be erected in the region. However, locals are against the government’s plan to construct the transmission line through settlements.

The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI) has formed a committee to resolve the issue.

The panel comprises lawmakers of Provincial Assembly of the region, mayors of municipalities covering the project, Ministry of Urban Development, MoEWRI and locals.

Moreover, former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai who is also the elected representative from Gorkha-2, and Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising, among others, have recently visited the project site and held discussions with locals on their issues related to the project. Back then, Bhattarai said that the project should be constructed in such a manner that it will neither affect flights in Palungtar nor affects locals in the region in any way.

Meanwhile, NEA Managing Director Ghising had said that the new route determined for the construction of the transmission line is scientific and urged locals to cooperate in the development of the project.