The contractor, China Overseas Engineering Group, has come up with a 58-month work plan to complete the national pride project.

Senior divisional engineer Min Raj Dhakal said work on the contractor’s plan had begun. He said the project would receive a tunnel boring machine in November 2016.

“By the time the machine arrives, we will have completed a 200m approach tunnel through traditional methods,” said Dhakal, adding the approach tunnel would make it easier for the 150-metre-long boring machine to complete remaining work.

The project has started the process to cut down trees to clear the way for the tunnel construction. “We will start the construction after clearing off the trees,” said Dhakal, adding the construction got delayed by two months due to the earthquakes. He said the contractor was now busy in assessing the quality of construction materials.

The contractor has been paid Rs901.2 million in the first phase. The government has allocated Rs1.30 billion this year for the construction of the tunnel and access roads. Last year, the project had returned Rs870 million out of allocated Rs1.89 billion. The Chinese contractor has signed a five-year agreement with the government to construct the 12km tunnel at an estimated cost of Rs10.56 billion.

After completion, the project is expected to offer round-the-year irrigation to around 51,000 hectares of land in Banke and Bardiya districts, besides generating 48MW electricity.

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala had laid the foundation store of the project four months ago.