Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Tunnel: Target 22 months, missed in 19 months

079 started from 28th October, 72 meters of tunnel was excavated in one day. Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Multi-Purpose Project says that it will take another one to one and a half years to send water after this tunnel is completed.

Mitra Baral, the head of the project, said that this success was achieved by making three shifts and working around the clock. "Except for the two Dasains and during the election, regular work is being done," he said, "Since the tunnel has broken through, we will see where there are weaknesses." The tunnel started digging by Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) from Kusumtar located in Kamalamai Municipality-2 has now come out at Kandhungri. When the TBM machine came out of the tunnel, everyone welcomed it with thunderous applause.

Prime Minister Dahal says that the break through of Sunkoshi-Marin Davierson has added new energy and enthusiasm to the construction of large infrastructure. Prime Minister Dahal said, "It has given us an example that if we move forward with strong determination, we can complete the project, no matter how challenging it is.

The Chinese company China Overseas Engineering (COVEC), which was awarded the contract for the construction of the tunnel, dug the tunnel using a tunnel boring machine, which made the work faster.

Kovek took the contract for only 10 billion 568 million 37 thousand excluding value added tax to dig the tunnel. By damming the river, Sunkoshi's water Marinkhola aims to generate irrigation and electricity in five districts of Khasali Madhesh throughout the year.

The construction of the tunnel is expected to be completed in August 2008. The tunneling work was interrupted 6 times. The then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli laid the foundation stone of the project in Kasumtar of Kamalamai Municipality 2 on February 20, 2007. The construction of a 30-meter high and 158-meter long dam in Sunkoshi is in progress to inject water into a 5.5-diameter tunnel using high technology.

67 cusecs of water per second will be pumped into Marinkhola through the Sunkoshi River water tunnel. The project aims to produce 31.07 megawatts of electricity by pumping water from a 66 meter head. Similarly, the contract for the headworks worth 12 billion rupees has been completed by June 24, 2008. Project chief Baral said that there was some delay due to resource assurance. "Working time in Koshi is 4 to 5 months," Chief Baral said, "because of this, there has been some delay in the work." "I want to assure you that there will be no shortage of budget as this is a transformative project of national pride," he said. The main objective of the project is to provide irrigation facilities in an area of ​​one lakh 22 thousand hectares. The construction of a dam on the Sunkoshi river, which is one of the main works of the project with a total cost of 49 billion 42 crores, has not been able to pick up speed.

The contract process is slow and due to weather conditions, work like the tunnel has not been accelerated, the project said. Baral informed that the work of placing the coffer dam underground pillar has been completed as part of the construction of the dam in Sunkoshi. The work of coffer dam 468 meters below the river level has been completed. Currently, the project is said to be working above the river plate.

In the financial year 080/81, 18 percent progress has been achieved so far in the dam construction. In addition to starting the construction of the Sunkoshi dam at Kandhungri, 900 meters below the confluence of Sunkoshi and Tamakosi, Patel-Raman JV has completed work including lab, base camp, crusher plant. This construction company took the contract of 12 billion for construction of dam in Sunkoshi about one and a half years ago to be completed in 084 October. One billion 50 million has been paid so far.

In the first phase under Marin River control, 70 percent of the two km works in Kamalamai Municipality 1 and 2 have been completed. According to the project, river control is being done by making 7 packages for 44 km from Kusumtar to Wagmati in Kamalamai Municipality-2, where the water will be discharged from the tunnel into Marinkhola. Among the works of the project, the contract process of electromechanical has started. Chief Baral said that the IE of the transmission line is at its final stage. As part of the social work of

project, lift irrigation is being done in Ramechhap. The overall physical progress of the project is 29.93% and financial progress is 28%. That is, 11 billion 919 million has been spent on the construction of the project so far. The total cost of the project is 49 billion 42 crore 31 lakh.