KATHMANDU: It has been found that the Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project of national pride approved the preliminary performance report prepared by the construction company without testing the tunnel.

The project was started in 2004 to divert the water of Bheri River to Babai and provide irrigation to 51,000 hectares of land in Banke and Bardiya districts and also produce 48-megawatt electricity. A tunnel boring machine (TBM) was used for the first time in Nepal for this project.

The Department of Irrigation had signed an agreement with Chinese construction company, China Overseas Engineering Group Company (COVEC) at a cost of Rs 10.57 billion for the construction of a 12.2 km tunnel from Babai to Chiple in Bheriganga Municipality. So far, the project has paid Rs 9.88 billion to the construction company. The annual report made public by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), has pointed out that the performance report was accepted without testing the tunnel on September 2, 2020.

"The project does not seem to have paid attention to the condition of grouting inside the tunnel, the rock and other geological conditions in the tunnel constructed in the Chure and Mahabharat ranges and to ensure its safety," the OAG report states. “After accepting the report, the construction company was exempted from the actions for damage, risk and quality of the tunnel caused due to geographical reasons.”

The OAG conducted a functional audit of the Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project. The audit report has pointed out that the defects liability period should be extended and the quality of the tunnel should be ensured. "Even though the defects liability period was 365 days, the construction work of the head canal and tunnel of the main canal was not done simultaneously, so the provision cannot be applied to this case," the report said. “In addition to extending the defects liability period, water should be sent to the tunnel to ensure quality construction of the tunnel.”