Repairing structures of the project could take a long time

KATHMANDU, JUNE 23

The landslide triggered by incessant rainfall last week has caused damage worth more than one billion rupees to the Melamchi Water Supply Project structures.

Other structures of the project except the main structures - tunnel and headwork - have been damaged while shelters for the project staff and the construction materials have been washed away.

Project technicians have not been able to reach Ambathan till date, project Information Officer Rajendra Prasad Panta said. Although a team of the project, including Divisional Engineer had set out for Ambathan on Tuesday to assess the damage, it has not been able to reach there. It is difficult to reach Ambathan as a bridge over the Melamchi River and the road to Ambathan have been swept away.

"According to preliminary estimates, the rest of the structures, except the tunnel and headwork have suffered much damage," Panta said.

He added that sand, aggregates and other construction materials kept at the construction site as well as the storage structure have all been washed away by the flooded Melamchi stream.

The accommodation camp set up for residential workers at the construction site, water supply structure and toilet at the camp were swept away. The flooded rivulet also swept away the equipment of construction entrepreneurs.

Project Information Officer Panta said the physical damage and financial loss due to this apart, it will take more time to clear the debris deposited by the landslide and flood. "We have not been able to guess how long it will take to clear up the debris and carry out repair and maintenance works," he said.

Spokesperson Panta said it was going to be difficult to carry out work at the construction site as the flood had swept away the road and the bridge.

According to him, the Ministry of Water Supply and Sanitation is facilitating repair work and the remaining works of the project. He said that a Bailey bridge could be immediately installed and repair and maintenance work started at the project site if the Prime Minister's Office directed the bodies concerned in this regard.

The project is taking initiatives to reopen the road in coordination with local bodies and local level wards there.

Although the main structures have not been damaged, sand, silt and pebbles have been deposited in the audit tunnel at Ambathan, and this needs to be removed immediately.

Panta stressed that first it was necessary to repair the approach road in order to carry out trial of the tunnel.

He added that the approach road and the bridge had to be constructed to clear up the project's audit tunnel blocked by debris.

"We have been consulting with the army and the Department of Roads regarding construction of the bridge and the road," Panta added.

According to him, how long it will take to supply water from Melamchi to Kathmandu depends on the extent of damage caused to the headwork and the time it takes to repair it. He estimated that it will take two to twoand-a-half months for this.

Panta said that the damage to the project structures has prolonged project completion time as the project was not completed and work to that end was in progress.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 24 2021, of The Himalayan Times.