Lamjung, Oct 14 : Construction of the upper Dordi 'A' hydroelectricity project based at Dhodeni, Dordi rural municipality-6 in the district has been halted.    

The project with the capacity of generating 25 megawatts power is promoted by Liberty energy Hydropower. Construction works were halted after 27 employees were found to have contracted coronavirus infection on Tuesday evening.   

 
Project's official Rajendra Wosti said the construction works had to be stopped due to the increased risk of coronavirus infection with project's 27 employees testing positive for the virus and also for lack of workers.  

  
Construction of most of the structures of the project, except the power house, has been completed. Ninety-eight per cent of the project construction is completed so far and it was targeted to produce power from December.  

  
However, the COVID-19 is going to affect the project's works.

The project was started in 2014 and was targeted for completion in 2017. It was delayed due to the Gorkha Earthquake of 2015, the border blockade imposed by India immediately after that and the devastating flood the occurred last August.    

It is estimated the construction cost of the project would exceed by Rs 676 million with the extension of the project's deadline.

The initial estimated cost of the project was Rs 3 billion 960 million. Now it is estimated to be around Rs 4 billion 636 million.