By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, June 25: The completion deadline of already ailing Melamchi Water Supply Project is pushed to next fiscal due to the coronavirus pandemic and shortage of workers.
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 be pushed 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, down from 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 is likely to take about a year to complete it.
Lawmakers had inquired about the date for the arrival of water from the Melamchi River. 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 Sindhupalchowk locals where the head works and most of the tunnel are located.
The project has made 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 job incomplete.
Of the structures of head works, construction of coffer dam, DI pipeline and six 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.