Chitwan, July 5

Nine years after work on the Hetauda-Bharatpur-Bardaghat transmission line started, only 59 per cent of work has been completed so far.

The government, back in 2009, had selected two Chinese and an Indian company and set them to work. While the Chinese company Zhong Ding International was entrusted with the construction of three sub-stations — two in Hetauda and one in Bharatpur for 5.6 million US dollars, the Indian company IcommTeli India Limited and another Chinese company Centre China Power Grid were selected to construct towers and string power cables from Hetauda to Bharatpur and from Bharatpur to Bardaghat respectively.

Originally stipulated to complete in three years, the project deadline has been extended frequently.

“Among the three companies, Centre China Power Grid that had got the contract for 1.2 billion rupees has finished just around 21 per cent work,” said Hetauda-Bharatpur-Bardaghat 220KV transmission line project Chief IshworiJaisawal, adding that the contract with the company was revoked last year and a new company has been selected to carry out the remaining work.

Similarly, Jaisawal informed that 91 per cent work entrusted to Zhong Ding International Company has been completed so far. The Indian company, likewise, has finished 64 per cent work. The 148-km transmission line extends from Hetauda to Bardaghat.