RASUWA, Feb 29: The Chilime Trishuli 220 KV transmission line has faced obstruction in its construction work due to lack of materials. The widespread outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in China has affected the import of materials and the payments to workers have been halted as well. 

The office of the Chinese contractor company, Pinggao Group Ltd is based in Hunan province of China. This province is connected with the epicenter of the coronavirus which has caused problem, according to Subharam Bikram Shah, project head. “The bank and the contractor's office are closed at the moment,” he said, “All works needed to be completed from China have been halted.”        

The materials which need to be imported from China are on hold and the payments to workers in the project have not been made due to the problem back in China. Around 180 workers are involved in the project. 

The required materials for the construction of the substation are examined in China and the required materials for the transmission line are examined in India. Materials from China should arrive via Kolkata and the widespread outbreak of coronavirus has affected the transportation of the materials.

According to project officials, two hydropower projects in the district were expected to begin production within the current fiscal year. If the transmission line is not constructed on time then the produced electricity would go to waste. 55% of the construction work for the transmission line has been completed so far. 

The construction work for the transmission line was started on December 20, 2017 and as per the target, the construction work was scheduled to be completed on June 13, 2019. According to the new deadline, the construction of the substation should be completed within April 30, 2020 but the project has estimated that it will need a new deadline to finish the construction work.

According to Shah, physical difficulties, lack of roads and more time in construction design have led to delay in the construction of the project. A hydropower project is being constructed in the upper region of Rasuwa and electricity produced from the project will be connected to the national transmission grid for which the transmission line is being constructed. 

The transmission line will be constructed from Goljung of Ama Chodingmo Rural Municipality to Trishuli 3B Hub of Kispang Rural Municipality, Nuwakot. The duration of the transmission line is 27 kilometers.  The transmission line and the substation are being constructed by the government with grant assistance from KfW Development Bank of Germany and European investment.

 
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