KATHMANDU, Dec 29: The Saleung-CIPEL JV, which was awarded the contract below the estimated cost under the guise of authority and power, has stalled the construction of the pipeline and overhead tank in Melamchi. Shailung got the contract to build a 160 km pipeline and overhead tank of the Melamchi project in a JV with Indian company CIPEL at a cost of 1.41 billion rupees. The deadline extended for the second time by the Kathmandu Utpatya KhanepaniLimited (KUKL) Project Implementation Directorate (PDI) has also expired in August 2022.