KATHMANDU, April 12: 60 tons of cement that were stranded for 17 days due to the lockdown has reached Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project site in Rasuwa district. The construction works had been halted since the last two weeks due to the lockdown. The cement had been transported to Ramche of Rasuwa district on March 24 and had been kept there because of the lockdown.
Chhabi Gaire, project head, said that the cement had been transported through six vehicles to the project site on Friday. “The supply had reached Ramche on the first day of the lockdown,” he said, “The supply had to be kept at the location because the movement of vehicles was restricted after the announcement of nationwide lockdown.” The drivers were not allowed to bring the cement to the project site.
The cement was taken to the project site in coordination with the District Administration Office and local authorities. The vehicles have returned back on Friday after unloading the cement at the project site in Tatopani.
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The project work had slowed down due to the current lockdown and lack of construction materials. There are 530 Nepali and 160 Chinese workers in the project site. According to the project officials, there is no scarcity of diesel and rods but construction works were halted due to lack of cement.
The project had started the construction of tailrace tunnel. According to the project officials, 70 meters of digging is left out of the total 660 meters tailrace. The work needs to be completed before the monsoon.
The project also faced in the construction of dam site and surge shaft area. The project was halted due to dry landslide on June 20, 2019 and resumed the work from December 18, 2019.
The project that is being built in Timure, Gosaikunda Rural Municipality-2 of Rasuwa has completed 75% of the construction work. China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWEC), the contractor responsible for the construction of the civil structure, has constructed the tunnel.
The construction of 111 MW capacity project started from February, 2014 with the target to complete the project by August 2017. The construction works were affected by the 2015 earthquakes, Indian blockade and seasonal floods. The Chinese contractor had halted the construction works for four months after different areas of the project site were hit by landslides. The project will generate 613.87 GWh of electricity annually and earn Rs 12.5 million per day.
The project is estimated to cost Rs 13.68 billion. Chilime Hydropower Company owns 33% of the shares in Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project. Similarly, Employment Provident Fund (EPF) and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) own 19% and 18% of the shares, respectively. The general public own 15% of the shares in the project and 10% of the shares were distributed to the locals affected by the project. There will be 3.5% shares for employees of the promoter company and 1% of the shares will be provided to employees of the lending companies.
