Director of Melamchi Water Supply Project Implementation Directorate, Rajendra Sapkota has said that there has been a huge demand for Melamchi water distribution in the areas outside the Ring Road in the Kathmandu Valley.

Addressing a press conference held on Monday, Sapkota said that there is a huge demand for Melamchi water in the areas outside the Ring Road in the valley. He said that an estimated Rs 24 billion will be required to meet the demand.

Sapkota said that the work of laying underground power lines is currently being carried out by the Nepal Electricity Authority in the Kathmandu Valley and due to the narrowness of the road in some places, the necessary safe distance cannot be maintained during the laying of water pipes and power lines underground. He said that it is necessary to ensure coordination and take precautions while maintaining such places in the future.

Sapkota said that after laying the new pipeline, there were some problems and challenges to release water. He said that during the testing of the new distribution system, the pipelines of the wholesale and distribution network laid during the construction and maintenance of roads and sewers by third parties and the undergrounding of electricity lines and telephone wires were damaged and it was found that water leaked from such pipes during water testing and distribution. He said that there is a need to mobilize additional time and resources to complete the repair of the damaged water pipeline.

Sapkota added that in the second phase, the water of Melamchi will be supplied from its own source of the Nepal government to Swayambhu, Baluwatar, Maharajgunj, Dhumbarahi etc., and the southern part of Mandikhatar, Kapan, Chabahil, Bouddha outside the ring road, and about 800 kilometers of pipelines are being laid.

He said that out of this, around 430 kilometers of pipelines have been laid and the remaining pipeline is targeted to start within the next fiscal year. He said that distribution of pipelines are being laid in the places where it is possible to lay the pipelines using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology. He informed Republica that the survey and design work of about 1650 km pipelines is being done in Khumaltar, Gwarko, Nakhipot, Dhapakhel, Sunakothi, Bhaisepati, Bagdol, Suryabinayak, Mulpani, Imadol, Mahalaxmisthan, Nagarjun Municipality, Dhapasi, Suchartar and other places outside the ring road.