Kathmandu Valley unlikely to see Melamchi water before Dashain

By Chitra Mijar

Sindhupalchowk, Sept 7 : The source site of the Melamchi Water Supply Project at Ambathan, in Sindhupalchowk district, has faced significant damages, with its headwork obstructed by flood debris. As a result, it has become increasingly difficult to ensure the distribution of Melamchi water to the Valley dwellers before the Dashain festival.

Executive Director of the project, Kamal Raj Shrestha, has said that critical components of the headworks (Gate No. 1 and Gate No. 9), responsible for regulating the flow of water to Kathmandu, have been blocked by flood debris. 

Following a flood in the Melamchi watershed area, water has been prevented from entering the tunnel through the project's headwork since July 3, 2023.

Shrestha said that the debris piled up at the headworks could be cleared only when it stops raining. 

He also said that experts believe more than 16 meters of the headworks and tunnels in the area have been buried by debris. 

The flooding has also caused damage to roads and highways.

A drone camera, positioned at a distance of 300 metres, was employed to assess the condition of the springs affected by the floods. The project has also reported the damages to its primary financier, the Asian Development Bank.

Shrestha said that delivering water to the Valley before Dashain would be challenging, as it would require about two more months to undertake temporary repairs on the headworks, which sustained damages due to the floods triggered by rainfall.  

Project engineer Padam Kunwar mentioned that the gate was buried by mud and stones brought by the flood, causing more damage than the damages caused last year. 

The project has not yet assessed the condition of the structure beneath the river's surface.

Melamchi water was first delivered to Sundarijal on March 6, 2021. Then, starting on March of the same year, a test distribution of water began in Kathmandu.

Following the flood on June 15, 2021, which caused massive damages, water distribution was temporarily halted. However, it resumed during the first week of April 2022 after repairs were made to the flood-damaged springs and other structures.

A total investment of Rs. 65 billion has been made in the Melamchi project. 

The Melamchi water is transported through a 23 km tunnel from Ambathan to Sundarijal. 

This tunnel has the capacity to deliver 17 million liters of water to the Valley each day.