No option to terminating Marin Diversion, Bheri Babai Project contract: Minister Ghising

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Sept. 24: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure and Transport and Urban Development Kul Man Ghising has said that the contracts of Sunkoshi Marin Diversion and Bheri Babai Multipurpose Project cannot be upheld in their current forms.

At a discussion with the Secretary of the Ministry, Director General of the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation and Chief of both projects, consultants and contractors at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Minister Ghising said that there was no option but to terminate the project contracts and move forward from a new way.

After the unnatural delay in the construction of both projects, Minister Ghising had held discussions with all parties involved in the construction of these projects, according to a press statement of the Minister's secretariat. 

He said that the unnatural delay in the construction of projects that contribute to the country's economy by increasing agricultural productivity with providing irrigation in the Tarai region is causing the loss of returns from the projects.

He urged all the parties concerned to be serious in this regard. "It seems that one side is blaming the other. How will the construction proceed in such a situation where construction entrepreneurs keep looking for loopholes and the project continues to create such an environment," he questioned.

"Billions of rupees have been invested by the state; if we only calculate the interest, it will be in billions, in such a situation, where has the financial analysis done when starting the project reached, what has happened to the returns?’ he warned.

The construction of tunnels of both projects has been completed, but the projects have been stalled due to the failure to build structures such as the dam and power house. 

"There is a shortage of water for irrigation in the Tarai/Madhes, so the project cannot proceed in this situation. If the construction contractor had been active, the work would have been completed. There is no intention to work, so there is no justification for extending the deadline; let's break all the contracts and move forward," said Ghising.

The construction of the Bheri Babai tunnel was completed in August 2020. 

A contract agreement was signed with Guangdong Yuantian-Raman JV in July 2019 for the construction of the dam and power house. The physical progress of the project is 57 per cent so far. 

The progress of the construction of the structures, including dam and power house of Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project 

is 10 per cent. 

About 60 per cent of the contract period has passed. The contractor of this project is Patel-Raman JV.