By Our Correspondent
Sankhuwasabha, Feb. 5: The 900-Megawatts Arun III Hydroelectricity Project has made about 54 per cent progress in its construction.
The project being developed by SJVN Arun III Power Development Company in Makalu and Chichila Rural Municipalities in Sankhuwasabha district of Province 1 has achieved the progress in three-and-a-half years since its construction began.

The foundation stone of the project was laid jointly by erstwhile Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on May 11, 2018, by pressing a switch from Kathmandu and New Delhi.
The project is scheduled to be completed by mid-April 2023.
Out of the 11.8km-long tunnel, 7.3 km is dug. Work for the construction of the head works at Fyaksinda confluence in Makalu Rural Municipality is expedited and 2.33 million cubic metre ditch is prepared, said Arun Dhiman, Chief Executive Officer of the project.

The total size of the ditch is 2.44 cubic metre.
Likewise, power house for the project is being constructed in Pukhuwa of Chichila Rural Municipality-3.
Energy generated by the project would be exported to India through a 400 KV transmission line developed by the company through Bathnaha of Manottari district. The transmission line will pass through Bhojpur, Khotang, Udayapur, Siraha and Mahottari districts before crossing the border to India.

According to the project, currently, about 2,475 workers are mobilised at the sites in Phyaksundo and Pukhuwa. The Rs. 104 billion-project will provide 21.9 per cent electricity to Nepal free of cost and additional benefits equal to Rs. 348 billion in the project contract period of 25 years.