No obstacles in Melamchi Project: PM

Kathmandu, Jan. 3: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Thursday said that there was no obstacle in expediting the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP).

"There is no confusion at the project development. The progress has caught speed this year and it will be completed within the given time," he said while speaking at a programme organised for stone laying for Wastewater Treatment Centre at Balkumari of Lalitpur Metropolis.

He was trying to assure that the work at the project wouldn't be affected even though its contractor, Italian CMC, had left the construction, citing budget shortage, after the break-through of the tunnel.

CMC's speed was slowed since 2016 due to the old equipment and the company was not in the mood to procure new machines as the project was coming to the completion.

According to the Ministry of Water Supply, only 5 per cent physical construction work, such as construction of support walls in the tunnel and plastering the floor, is left to be completed which can be completed by the local sub-contractors.

"The project was moving ahead with the speed of a snail in the last 27 years but it caught the speed of a Japanese car in a black-topped road after this government came into the power," said PM Oli.

"Small glitches can come across while implementing large development projects but the government is fully prepared to complete the project at any circumstance," he added.

He also said that the government was progressing with a step in a day in terms of development and construction of infrastructure.

PM reiterated his commitment to make Bagmati River clean enough to take a dive, and said that the Kathmandu Valley would be made more liveable with clean air and clean drinking water.

Water Supply Minister Bina Magar said that the government would put every effort to complete the MWSP in time.

The Wastewater Treatment Centre is being developed by a Chinese firm SafBon Water Service (Holdings). It will be constructed at the cost of Rs. 607.5 million within 30 months from now.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 January 2019.