Efficient operation of Melamchi project uncertain as floods cause severe damage

KATHMANDU: The Melamchi Drinking Water Project has become uncertain after heavy floods triggered by heavy rainfall caused severe damage to the project.

The floods in the Melamchi River on Tuesday have washed away all the structures including workers’ camps, equipment, construction materials, access roads and bridges at Ambathan, the project’s main site. The headworks have also been completely submerged in the floods.

‘We are not in position to visit the site now. But when viewed from the drone, the positioning of the structure of the headworks looks fine but it is full of mud,” said Rajendra Prasad Pant, senior divisional engineer of the project. Damages can be analyzed only after clearing the mud, as per him.

He said that no damage was seen in the headworks but other temporary structures were damaged. Project officials said that the flood has caused huge financial loss to the project.

The two-kilometer access road to the dam site has also been washed away by the floods. The concrete bridge at Chanaute has also been damaged and the Bailey Bridge at the project site has been washed away.

 

Fiscal Nepal |
Friday June 18, 2021, 07:31:03 PM |


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