Melamchi Drinking Water Project unlikely before 2016

The government on Monday unveiled its revised plan for the construction of tunnel of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project to be complete the project by 2016.

Though the project was supposed to be completed by 2015, with the termination of contract with China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation the dateline is rescheduled to 2016.

The project was also expected to be completed by September 2013 when the project was awarded to China Railway, but the deadline was extended to 2015 due to locals protest for some six months.

The Melamchi Water Supply Development Board (MWSDB) said it was also planning to resume the construction from the beginning of next year 2013 completing all the bidding process.

The MWSDB on September 25 had issued the notice of termination saying the company has been putting pressure to increase the amount bid which was not possible for the MWSDB.

According to the board, the Chinese firm's demand to increase the bid amount is against the conditions of the contract signed in 2009. It has breached the contract, said the board.

The Chinese company was assigned to construct the 26.3 km diversion tunnel at Rs. 4.28 billion in 2009. However, the company has just completed around 6.5 km construction of the tunnel so far.

After the construction of tunnel, Melamchi project is expected to bring 170 million litres of water every day to Kathmandu Valley. nepalnews.com