220 kV Udipur-Markichok-Bharatpur transmission line sees slow work progress

Kathmandu: The 220 kV Udipur-Markichok-Bharatpur transmission line, which was supposed to come online three years ago has not been completed yet.

According to the project, it has taken almost six years now for the installation of the transmission line. Narayan Regmi, divisional head of the project said only about 65 percent of the work has been completed till date. According to him, they have extended the timeline three times due to the slow work progress of the contractor.

The contract for the construction of the transmission line was signed in January 2018. The slow work progress has been attributed to the delay in cutting down the trees that fall under the alignment of the transmission line.  

Regmi said the new deadline has been set for the coming June. According to the project, 193 towers have to be built to carry this transmission line in a distance of 67 km stretch from Udipur in Lamjung to Bharatpur in Chitwan. A total of 45 towers will be built in Lamjung. As of now, 25 towers in Lamjung have been constructed.

This transmission line will complement in six kilometers to bring the electricity of the Dordi Corridor project to the switchyard of the medium current hydropower plant. Seven towers have already been constructed in the six km section of Madhya Marsyangdi section starting from Udipur.

The foundation of 15 towers has been completed in Tanahun, while the foundation of one tower has been laid in Chitwan. Similarly, the foundation structure of the tower in Gorkha has been built.