The distribution of water from the Melamchi Drinking Water Project to the Kathmandu Valley is likely to be disrupted for a couple of months to carry out tunnel inspection.
Currently, the entire tunnel of the project is being emptied for inspection. Information Officer of Melamchi Drinking Development Committee Rajendra Prasad Panta said that it could take some 30 to 40 days to resume water supply to the Valley, that too if no problems are detected during the tunnel inspection.
Panta stated that it would take almost 10 days to inspect the 27-km-long tunnel.
Chief of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project Ram Kumar Shrestha said that regular maintenance of the newly built tunnel was imperative. “The inspection is happening not because we’ve found any problems. It’s just a regular procedure for quality maintenance,” he said.
As per contract signed with the Chinese company Sino Hydro some two years ago, the Water Project has agreed to empty the tunnel for inspection after its first filling.
“As stated in the procedure, the final task is to empty the tunnel. The project will be deemed successful after refilling it as it means no problems were detected while emptying the tunnel,” he added.
Water from the Melamchi Project was brought to the Kathmandu valley for the first time around three months ago. So far no problem has been detected, officials said.
According to the project, construction of the project’s headwork is in the final stage while construction of tunnel and other works have already been completed.
