People of Kathmandu Valley may have to wait a little longer for the water from the Melamchi river in Sindhupalchok to reach their homes.

Ramakanta Duwadi, deputy executive director of the Melamchi Water Supply Development Board, said though they are still aiming for the October target to begin the water supply, there are still a lot of works to be done.

“With just four months remaining, we are not in a situation to exactly say whether we will meet the target,” said Duwadi. 

About 3 km section of the 27.5 km long tunnel still needs to be excavated, and no deeper than 20 metres can be drilled in one day.

At this rate, Duwadi said, it would take another five months just to complete the tunnel and a few more months to give it the final touch.

 “We can’t deny the fact that there is still a lot to do,” he said.“We are working 3km inside the tunnel which consumes more time for drilling, charging detonators and removing and disposing muck.”

Bhim Prasad Upadhyaya, secretary at the Ministry of Water Supply and Sanitation, however, believes that the government’s target of supplying water by October could be achieved.

“All the stakeholders are monitoring the project’s progress regularly, so that we can meet the target,” he said.

Excepting the tunnel, most of the other infrastructure for the Melamchi Water Supply Project have either been completed or in the process of timely completion. 

The construction of 170 MLD (million litres per day) Water Treatment Plant at Sundarijal is being completed in two phases.

A plant with the capacity of 85 MLD has already been completed under the first phase while the construction of another plant is in progress, according to Duwadi.  

Likewise, nine Service Reservoir Tanks have been constructed in different parts of Kathmandu Valley to store and distribute 510 MLD.