Construction of Melamchi Project’s tunnel nears final phase

Kathmandu / Dec 27: The construction of a tunnel under the much-awaited Melamchi Drinking Water Project has reached the final phase.

Now, only 5.5 kilometres section of the 27-km tunnel remains to be constructed. The tunnel construction project is likely to be completed by the next eight and half months if the works go at same pace, according to Secretary at the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Bheem Prasad Upadhyay.

An Italian company was in 2013 awarded the contract for constructing the tunnel which is to cost Rs 24 billion. Water collected from the Melamchi stream in Sindhupalchowk will be brought to Sundarijal from the tunnel before supplying it to the capital. A water processing centre is being constructed at Sundarijal under the project.

The Ministry said the Valley denizens will likely get drinking water from Melamchi by upcoming September-October. RSS