Kathmandu, March 16

The Melamchi Drinking Water Project conducted a water inflow test along a limited route of its tunnel. The test to bring in water from the Melamchi River into the tunnel was done today in the presence of Minister of Drinking Water Bina Magar, Executive Director of the project Tiresh Prasad Khatri and other stakeholders.

“As we are in the final phase of the project, construction works are underway in full swing,” informed Khatri.

The headworks were tested today by diverting water from the Melamchi River to the tunnel at Ambathan in Sindhupalchowk.

“Water from the river was passed through one kilometre of the tunnel and released through the audit tunnel,” said Khatri, adding that there was no problem witnessed during the test.

He further said that there had been qualitative progress in construction works after the contract was awarded to the Chinese company Sinohydro.

On the occasion, Minister Magar stated that the project will be completed within the stipulated time. “We have made a commitment to finish the project at any cost.”

She added that the last phase of the project did go through some turbulent times but now it was in the last stage. “People in the valley will be able to consume water from the Melamchi project by the end of the current fiscal year,” she said.

After Sinohydro was assigned the responsibility to construct the remaining construction works of the Melamchi project, 40 per cent of the construction of headworks has been completed along with 75 per cent of works related to the tunnel. Besides, 75 per cent of other small contractual works at the project site has also been completed.

Moreover, 50 per cent of the works of water gate and 50 per cent of installation of ventilation works has been completed so far.

Construction of seven separate gates and cofferdam related to headworks is ongoing at the moment. The project has a target to complete all tasks dealing with the headworks by May 28.

In September last year, the government had awarded the project to Sinohydro after the Italy-based Cooperativa Muratori e Cementisti (CMC) di Ravenna abruptly terminated the project in December 2018. Sinohydro has been assigned the works related to headworks and tunnel finishing, diversion tunnel, lining of audit tunnel and finishing touches of the tunnel.

Similarly, the company is also building infrastructure related to the water intake aspect of the project and also working on improving the access road. Furthermore, Sinohydro is also responsible for the design and construction of the coffer dam, repair of the camp site and installation of flushing systems in the project.