Another Breakthrough

The tunnel breakthrough in Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project (SMDMP) on May 8 marks another milestone in tunnel era in Nepal. Similar breakthrough was also achieved in the Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola tunnel on April 15. These back-to-back feats are unmistakable signs that the country is making development headways. While the latter significantly shortens the travel time and eases traffic congestion, saving fuel and time, the former is sure to prove to be a godsend in sectors such as hydropower, agriculture, tourism and fish farming, among others.  

Once the SMDMP is completed, the water of the Sunkoshi River will be diverted to the Marin River from the border of Sindhuli and Ramechhap districts through the 13.3-km-long tunnel before mixing it into the Bagmati River. The tunnel is connected to the 28.6 MW powerhouse on the Marin River. Upon completion, not only will the water flowing through the tunnel be used to irrigate the arable lands in the districts of Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat and Bara in the Madhes province, the electricity generated will also be used to power households and industries in the area and beyond.   

Despite being the breadbasket of the country, Terai has been a parched landscape. A lack of irrigation facilities has starved it of the water needed to sufficiently grow crops. Compounding the problem in the rain-dependent fertile lands is the drought which has grown in length and frequency due to climate change. This sobering reality is reflected in our ballooning imports of agricultural products. But now, with the soon-to-be-available irrigation, hopes are raised that our crops yield will increase so it will increase the nation's food security status. With agriculture providing a primary source of livelihood for majority of our people, this welcome development is expected to turn their fortunes, as well as enhance our ability to feed ourselves amid growing food insecurity attribute to climate change.     

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, who was on the site to make the tunnel breakthrough, has said that the agricultural sector is the backbone of Nepal's economic development and contributes about one-third to national GDP, so increasing agricultural production and productivity is necessary to reduce poverty and uplift the living standard and prosperity of the people. He called for the project to be completed on time and said that the goals of good governance, social justice and prosperity in Nepal would be achieved through the construction of large infrastructure projects like the one in question. With the implementation of the project, the population living in Sunkoshi and Tamakoshi areas are expected to benefit the most from the significant increase in internal and external tourism as well as from fish farming in the reservoir. 

Nepal is primarily a mountainous country. Our hills and mountains, the source of our perennial rivers, have been both our strength and obstacle to our development. But, with the use of tunnel boring machine (TBM), we are becoming able to traverse the mountains to our advantage. Such machine currently being used in the Bheri Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project (BBDMP), in Surkhet district, exactly for the same purpose as the (SMDMP) is poised to take our development endeavor to another level. Besides increasingly tapping into our rivers for hydropower, we are also penetrating mountains to lay down the track for transportation which are positive strides in national development.