Govt contracts Chinese firms for Melamchi tunnel construction

The government has contracted two Chinese companies for the construction of tunnel connecting Melamchi with Sundarijal and related works on Thursday.

Officials of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project (MDWP) signed an agreement with China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation and China CMIIC Engineering Corporation for the construction works of the first phase at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works.

The two companies were awarded the contract as their bid was lowest among the bid of 20 companies. They had bid NRs. 4.2 billion, 11 percent less than the estimated cost, for the construction of the 26.3 km long diversion tunnel and temporary coffer dams on Melamchi and Ribarma rivers.

According to the contract, the first phase of MDWP- started in 1998- will be completed by 2013. The project is expected to cater to the water demands of Kathmandu valley till 2031. In the first stage 170 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of water will be diverted from Melamchi River section of Helambu VDC. Additional 340 MLD of water will be added from the Yangri and Larke rivers in the second and third phases, respectively.

Altogether 510 MLD of water will be added to the exisiting water supply network of Kathmandu valley after the completion of all the three phases of the project. nepalnews.com ta Feb 20 09