Construction of three hydel projects begins in Mudi, Myagdi

By Thakur Prasad Acharya,Myagdi (Beni), Feb. 25: The construction of three hydropower projects has started in Mudi, Dhaulagiri Rural Municiplaity-4, Myagdi district.

Mudi is a remote village of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality-4 located in the lap of the Himalayas. 

The Myagdi River, which originates and flows from the world's seventh highest mountain, Dhaulagiri, is a river with a good potential for hydropower. 

Three hydropower projects have now started construction on the Myagdi River, which flows through Mudi village, known as the gateway to the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek. 

The construction of three hydropower projects, including 53.5 MW Upper Myagdi-1, 65 MW Myagdi Khola Hydropower Project and 37 MW Upper Myagdi Hydropower Project, has been started. 

This area, which was deserted until a few years ago, has now become bustling after the construction of hydropower projects has begun.

The locals are excited after the construction of the project began in the settlement located in the lap of the mountain. 

The construction of a hydropower project in a village located in the lap of the Himalayas is a matter of pride for us, said Yam Bahadur Gharti, ward chairman of Dhaualagiri Rural Municipality-4, Mudi.

He said, "We hope that the doors of development will open in remote villages after the construction of the hydropower project begins. If the hydropower project creates investment and employment according to the capacity of the locals, the living standards of the locals here will improve." 

He said that development has entered into the remote areas with the hydropower project as the roads built by the hydropower project have provided convenience to the locals.

Gandaki Provincial Assembly member and former minister for Gandaki Provincial government Resham Bahadur Jugjali inaugurated the construction of a four-kilometer-long tunnel connecting the Simkosh Dobhan dam to Ghimleti, promoted by Hydro Empire Pvt. Ltd. on Sunday.

He said that the construction of the hydropower project has opened the doors of development in this area. 

He said that the project should contribute to development in terms of job creation at the local level and corporate social responsibility.

Chairman of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality Prem Prasad Pun expressed confidence that the hydropower project to be built on the Myagdi River flowing through Mudi will contribute to the development and prosperity of the rural municipality. 

He said, “Currently, the internal income of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality is low. If the hydropower projects that have been started are completed, the electricity royalty received from them will greatly contribute to the development of the rural municipality.”

He said that hydroelectric projects have entered the Myagdi River as the construction of the Dandakhet Substation Project gained momentum. 

He said that apart from the projects that have been started in the rural municipality, five other hydropower projects are in the construction phase.

Ramesh Subedi, Chief of the Upper Myagdi Hydropower Project, said that the construction of the dam, tunnel and power house has begun with the target of completion by April 2026. 

“The construction of the main structure of the project has begun after completing the infrastructure, including the access road,” he said. 

Upper Myagdi, in collaboration with Upper Myagdi-1 and Myagdi Khola Hydropower Project, has constructed an access road from Bharbang of Malika Rural Municipality-7, Bim to Kalleni, Chhahari, Khara, Khamla, Naura Simkosh Dobhan. 

The Myagdi Khola Hydropower Project has constructed a road from Simkosh Dobhan to Bagar.

With the help of Upper Myagdi and Upper Myagdi-1 Hydropower Project, a road has reached Khiwang village. 

Upper Myagdi has constructed a road connecting the remote Chechung village affected by the project. 

The locals of Mudi village are excited after the construction of hydropower projects has started by expanding the access road to this geographically remote village.

The 65 MW Myagdi Khola Hydropower Project, which is promoted by Hydro Village, has now accelerated the construction of the access road.

According to the project, preparations are being made to build infrastructure and tunnels for the power house in Jeltung, which is six kilometers away from Naura.

Project Chief of Upper Myagdi-1 Hydropower Project Jyoti Kumar KC said that preparations are being made to move forward with the construction of the tunnel and the expansion of the 11-kilometre road from the power house to the dam simultaneously.

The Upper Myagdi-1 Hydropower Project, which will have a dam in Khamla of Mudi, and a power house in Malika Rural Municipality-7, Bharbang, has recently started construction of infrastructure towards the tunnel and dam after completing the construction of the access road. 

The project, which started building infrastructure since May 2024, has completed the construction of 530 metres of tunnels out of a total of 5.7 kilometers tunnels, said Project Chief KC. 

According to him, about 17 per cent of the construction work towards the dam, tunnel and power house of this project has been completed so far. The project has a target to complete the construction within two years, he said.