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Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project completes 40% work

SURKHET, Feb 22: The National Pride Project, Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project has completed 40% of the con...

By Nagendra Upadhyaya

SURKHET, Feb 22: The National Pride Project, Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project has completed 40% of the construction work. The construction project was started from 2004 to divert the water of Bheri River to Babai and provide irrigation facility to 52,000 hectares of land of Banke and Bardiya districts and also produce 48-megawatt electricity. The construction of the 12.2 kilometers long tunnel was constructed with the use of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the first time in Nepal. Under the second package of the project, the dam and powerhouse will be constructed.


Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun had inaugurated the construction of the dam and powerhouse under the second package in December, 2019. “For the construction of the dam in Chiple, diversion of water is going on,” said Krishna Upadhyaya, information officer of the project, “Likewise, the powerhouse is being constructed in Babai.” 


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According to Upadhyaya, through TBM, the finishing of the tunnel is in its final stage. “In total, 40% of the construction work is completed,” he said, “The construction work will be completed on time as the work is carried on according to the target.” The Department of Irrigation had signed a contract with Raman-Wangden JV for Rs 6.1 billion in August, 2019.


China Overseas Engineering Group Company (COVEC) completed the construction of the 12.2-kilometer tunnel with TBM from Hattikhola to Chiple, a year before the deadline. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli announced the break-through in a program organized in April, 2019. Raman-Wangden JV has established camps in two different places for the construction of the dam in Chiple, powerhouse in Babai and surge shaft. For the construction of the dam, 100,000 cubic meters of concrete is required and 50,000 cubic meters of concrete is required for the powerhouse. The construction company has established a crusher industry in Chiple and has started producing concrete. Ram Shrestha, field head of Raman-Wangden, stated that the construction work will be completed on time.


According to Sanjiv Baral, project head, along with the construction work of the dam and the powerhouse, the work under the hydro-mechanical and electro-mechanical parts will also be completed together. 


Chiple of Bheri River is 114 meters long and  14 meters long dam will be constructed. The project will be completed within 2023 with the cost estimated at Rs 33.1 billion. According to the project officials, the country will earn profit of Rs 3.1 billion from agriculture and Rs 4 billion from electricity annually after the completion of the project.


Vice president inspects project

Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun has inspected the Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project. The vice president observed the work progress of under-construction dam and barrage of the national pride project at Chiple of Bheriganga municipality. During the inspection, he said that the project should be developed as a model project. Pun expressed his happiness on construction of the tunnel before the deadline and the work being forwarded according to the target. Project chief, Sanjiv Baral apprised the vice president about the progress of the construction work adding that 40 percent of the work has been completed so far. The project is expected to be completed within 2023.

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