Kathmandu, Mar. 4: The Melamchi Water Supply Development Board has appealed to the locals to remain alert, saying the water level in the Bagmati river might rise while testing the water supply project tunnel.

Saying water has been released in the tunnel for the trial from February 22, the Board said that the water will reach Sundarijal soon and some amount of water would go in Bagmati river directly.

Information Officer of the Board, Rajendra Prasad Panta, said that they have urged the locals to adopt precaution as water level might surge suddenly.

He added, "Water will reach Sundarijal within two days. So locals from Sundarijal to Balkhu are requested to remain alert."

Construction of the tunnel was completed last year and it was tested in the month of July 2021 after its completion. An incident took place when the water flow broke the tunnel sluice gate in course of the trial and the Board has carried out the test of the tunnel again after correcting the mistake.

The water of Melamchi drinking water supply project would be distributed through the distribution system of Kathmandu Valley within next month if no problem is found in course of tunnel test.