Nepal

Minister for Water Supply Umakanta Chaudhary has assured that the Melamchi Drinking Water Project will resume water supply to the Kathmandu Valley by December 13 this year.

Taking stock of the progress at the project site Ambathan on Wednesday, Minister Chaudhary said:

"A long-term action plan has been made for the diversion of the water from Melamchi River." 

He also inspected the Gate No1 of the tunnel, which was damaged in the recent flooding.  

“The gate escaped heavy damage thanks to a timely precaution. So, the water could be pumped into the tunnel early,” he said. 

Project site divisional engineer Padam Bahadur Kunwar said water from Melamchi would reach Kathmandu after 10 to 12 days of being released into the tunnel. 

Secretary at the Ministry of Water Supply Maniram Gelal said work had been undertaken with a target to resume the water supply to the Kathmandu Valley by December 13. 

More than Rs34 billion has been spent on the construction of the tunnel and other structures under the project, according to Gelal. “Another Rs310 million will be required to ensure the year-round water supply.”

Earlier on Monday, the project started pumping water into a reservoir at Sundarijal through a tunnelway following repair work on the flood-damaged structure. 

Monsoon floods damaged the tunnel at Helambu Rural Municipality in Sindhupalchok district, halting the water supply for the past six months.

The project had first pumped the water into the Valley's supply channel 20 months ago, following the completion of the much-awaited project. 

However, it was halted on June 15, 2021 when massive flooding in the Melamchi River severely damaged the project infrastructure. The repair works resumed eight months ago. 

Water from Melamchi is collected in Sundarijal only during winter as some construction works at the source of the water in Melamchi have not been completed yet, according to the project.