Kathmandu, June 24
The government had announced to complete
the construction of the project by the end of this fiscal year (mid-July 2020)
and test the tunnel, but the target is likely to push for another year as about
75 per cent workers left the work in the initial days of lockdown, imposed from
March 24, to go to their home.
Only 164 workers are working at the site
currently while their number was 400 before the advent of coronavirus.
Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation
Bina Magar said in a meeting of the Development and Technology Committee of the
Parliament on Wednesday that the ministry had planned to complete the
construction of physical infrastructure in the current fiscal year and test the
tunnel and distribute water in the next year.
Secretary at the Ministry Madhav Belbase said
that it would take at least two months to test the tunnel. Since the testing of
tunnel is a technically complex task, it would take about a year to complete
it.
Lawmakers had inquired about the date for
the arrival of water from the Melamchi Water. Chairperson of the committee Kalyani
Kumari Khadka said that the deadline of the project was postponed for multiple
times therefore the government must clearly announce the completion date.
The committee had directed the ministry to
implement effective management system for the distribution of water and address
the demands of the local people in Sindhupalchowk where the head works and most
of the tunnel are located.
The project has witnessed about 97 per cent
progress so far with the completion of alternative water diversion system and
water treatment centres while infrastructure connecting the tunnel and
treatment centre is about to complete.
Head works construction has witnessed 65
per cent progress. The work to construct the head works had begun after the
Italian contractor CMC fled the country leaving the work incomplete.
Of the structures of head works, construction
of coffer dam, DI pipeline and 6 hydro mechanical gates is completed while
erection of hoists and control panels and construction of stilling basin and
intake is under construction, said the Melamchi Water Development Board.
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