China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), civil contractor for 30MW Chameliya Hydroelectric Project, has completed treatment of around 64 percent of the squeezed tunnel section of the project.

CGGC, which had resumed civil work in October 2016 after more than two years of hiatus, has treated 147 meters out of 232 meters of the squeezed section, according to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the owner of the project. “We could have treated more, but the work pace slowed in mid-December due soil erosion in an eight-metre section of weak rocks,” said project chief Ajay Kumar Dahal. “We had to be very slow and careful. A couple of our workers even sustained injuries while digging that section.”

Now, the work has regained pace and the treatment will be completed before the deadline, added Dahal.

As per the revised work schedule—prepared by the civil contractor and approved by the NEA in September-end—the treatment of the squeezed tunnel section needs to be completed within 160 days starting from the beginning of October. Also, CGGC has to complete remaining civil works by September 2017.

“However, the contractor has pledged to complete the work well before the deadline,” said Dahal. “Going by the current pace of work, it is highly likely that they will complete the job before the scheduled time.”

After treating the squeezed tunnel, the civil contractor has to block three audit tunnels and complete the concreting of the entire tunnel.

Meanwhile, the contractor assigned to do electro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical works has said it will take an additional 70 days to complete its job after the civil works are completed.

“Currently, they are conducting dry-test of the turbines and other electro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical equipment,” said Dahal.

“They are also positive about our request to complete the project well before December 2017.”