Dharahara to be operational within three months

Published On: March 2, 2024 11:45 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, March 2: The entire construction work of the much-awaited Dharahara is expected to be completed within the next three months.

Project Director of the Central Level Project Implementation Unit (CLPIU) Kosh Nath Adhikari has claimed that the construction of the tower will be and will be put into operation after completing the construction works. "The construction work of the dam in Dharahara is nearing completion now," he said. "The construction work of Dharahara will be completed within days or months from now."

Adhikari stated that the civil structural construction work of Dharahara has reached its final phase. "The painting work of Dharahara's basement is currently underway," he said. "As the backup system, mechanical and electrical work of Dharahara are pending it may still take some time.”

The physical progress of the tower construction has been 92 percent so far. Director Adhikari said that decisions regarding the operational model for Dharahara are pending. "In the past, the Dharahara was being operated by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City. But no decision has been made whether the Dharahara will be operated by the metropolis or any other mechanism in the future."

The construction of Dharahara, amounting to Rs 3.49 billion including VAT, has seen financial progress of 87 percent. However, key systems such as mechanical and vehicle services, including the installation of carbon dioxide and monoxide expulsion systems, are yet to be completed.

The contract for the construction of Dharahara was signed on September 30, 2018. According to the contract, the construction of the tower should be completed within two years. So far, the deadline has been extended almost half a dozen times. JITC-Raman JV was given the responsibility of building the tower.

While the tower's exterior appears as 11 floors, its interior is designed with 22 floors. With the collapse of the tower due to the earthquake of 2015, the government opted for modern construction materials and techniques to ensure a safer and more resilient structure.