Nearly half of the construction of Trishuli-Kathmandu 220 kV double-circuit line, Nepal’s first underground power transmission line, has been completed.

48 percent of the works—or 630 metre has been completed, out of the 1,309 metre transmission line in Matatirtha area, the project said on Sunday. The underground structure can house 24 electricity cables.

A government team led by Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barsha Man Pun made an onsite visit of the project and directed the contractor to complete remaining works within next two months. Pun was accompanied by Energy Secretary Anup Kumar Upadhyaya and Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising. 

During the high-level government team visit, the contractor expressed to accomplish the works within the given deadline provided the authority eased hurdles in construction works.

The contractor has also asked the government to ensure security and settle issues related to forest. Nearly 270 workers have been mobilised for construction.

Amid concern over the forest issue, minister Pun made a phone call to Minister for Forests and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet to immediately resolve hurdles like cutting down trees at the project construction site among others.

“The government will address the problems at the local level and ask the Home Ministry to ensure safety and security at the construction site,” said Pun, adding that the government was committed to constructing the structure by the given deadline without compromising on its standards and quality.

The Cabinet had permitted to cut 682 trees that fall under the Mahalaxmi Matatirtha Community Forest, which later on was revised to 336 units.

With the revision, the contractor again has to take approval from the concerned authority.

As the project construction has made it difficult for commuters to walk along the road, locals have started filling gravel at the trench constructed for laying cables. 

The transmission line will evacuate 60MW of electricity generated by Upper Trishuli-A to Kathmandu. The project is expected to come into operation by mid-January. 

The total transmission line length is 45 km. Of the total length, 1,309 metre is being constructed underground. Project Chief Phanindra Raj Joshi said that 127 towers out of 140 towers have been erected so far.

Apart from the power that will be evacuated from Upper Trishuli-A project, the NEA has planned to use the facility for evacuating electricity produced by other similar hydropower projects in the Trishuli corridor.

The project is being constructed under the China’s Exim Bank concessional loan.