65 percent work in Bheri Babai in 9 and a half years

In the first phase, the construction of 12.20 km tunnel with tunnel boring machine has been completed, in the second phase, dam and powerhouse construction, hydro-mechanical, electro-mechanical connection and construction are being done. Senior Divisional Engineer Pawan Adhikari, information officer of the project, said that the construction of headworks in Surkhet's Chipley is going on. Two of the six roads are in the final stages of construction. "Preparations are being made to divert the river for the construction of another 4 ways," said the official, "Slope protection work has reached the final stage at the powerhouse construction site Hattikhola, similarly, we are also working on the construction of foundations, coffered dams, and anchor blocks."

Surkhet The project is going on with the plan to build a dam on the river Bheri at Chipley in the Bheriganga municipality and release the Bheri water through a tunnel to the Babai river on the border of Surkhet and Bardia and generate about 46 megawatts of electricity. The project aims to provide irrigation facilities to around 51,000 lands in Banke and Bardia. Due to Corona, the work of the project was affected for almost 2 years. About 57 financial progress has been achieved in the estimated cost of 33 billion 1966 million. Of this, 15.5 billion rupees have been spent so far.

The senior divisional engineer officer informed that 1 billion 59 million rupees have been allocated this year and 497.1 million rupees have been spent till the end of January. It is being done within the next three years. He said that due to last year's flood, there was a problem in the construction of a dam on the river, which delayed the work of the project. "If there are no obstacles, all the work is ready to be completed within the next three years," he said. Raman/Guangdong JV has taken over the second phase of work. The government plans to connect the electricity produced by the

project to the national transmission system. The project said that in the third phase, the work will be carried forward with a plan to use the water from the Bheri for irrigation. The senior divisional engineer officer said that the goal of the project is to build a dam at Chipley in Surkhet and release 40 cubic meters of water per second to Babai through a tunnel. The construction of a dam is going on at Chipley to release the Bheri water into the Babai River, where a barrage of 114 meters long and 14 meters high will be constructed.

Civic leader Durga Prasad Sapkota said that since it is the biggest project of Karnali and the federal government's national pride, it should be completed within the specified time. "The first phase work was done as a model for the first time in Nepal using a tunnel boring machine," he said, "therefore, the government should not allow any hindrance in the work of the project by allocating sufficient budget." Urmila Bishwakarma, Minister of Water Resources and Energy Development of the Karnali State Government, said that the necessary coordination is being done on behalf of the state government so that the work of the project can be completed within the stipulated time. In the third phase of the

project, there will be hydro and electro work along with other electrical works. During the operation of the project, it is estimated that more than 32 hectares of land in Veriganga, Gurvakot and Lekbensi in Surkhet will be inundated. For this, the compensation of about 8 hectares of land has already been distributed, and the project is working on verification by publishing notices for the acquisition of about 10 and a half hectares of land. The then Prime Minister Sushil Koirala laid the foundation stone of this project, which is being built with indigenous investment, on 071 Chait 19. It is estimated that the project will be completed at a cost of 36 billion 80 million rupees.