Tree Marking Begins for Transmission Line Construction Under Tanahun Hydropower Project

Tanahun. Tree marking has commenced for the construction of the transmission line under the Tanahun Hydropower Project. The marking is being carried out on trees located in Chitwan district as part of Package Three of the project.

Project Chief Shyamji Bhandari informed that the marking process has started on trees situated in the national forest area of Chitwan district, which falls along the alignment of the project's Damauli-Bharatpur 220 kV transmission line. An agreement was previously made with the Department of Forest and Soil Conservation to clear the land and remove trees located in the forest areas of Chitwan and Tanahun districts that fall under the right-of-way and tower locations for the transmission line.

Bhandari stated that work has progressed following the receipt of permission to take possession of 92.7 hectares of forest land in Tanahun and Chitwan for the transmission line construction, and permission to remove nine thousand one hundred twenty-seven trees/poles. Following a cabinet decision, an agreement was recently signed between Tanahun Hydropower Limited and the Department of Forest and Soil Conservation to clear the forest land and remove trees in Chitwan and Tanahun districts that fall under the right-of-way and tower locations for the Damauli-Bharatpur 220 kV transmission line of the project.

For this package, the contractor KEC International Limited of India has completed the foundation work for 78 out of 94 towers along the 33 km Damauli-Bharatpur 220 kV transmission line, and the erection work for 69 towers is complete. Bhandari reported that the overall progress for this package stands at 76 percent.

Work is ongoing in three packages for the Tanahun Hydropower Project. For Package One, which includes the dam and related structures, the work is being carried out by Sonda Kalika JV. Bhandari mentioned that this package has achieved 54 percent progress. The construction work for cutting the hill for the main dam, access roads, the temporary dam required to divert the Seti River, and two diversion tunnels has been completed.

The Seti River was diverted on 2080 Kartik 20 for the construction of the main dam. It is reported that the construction of the temporary dams on the upstream and downstream sides of the main dam was completed in Jestha, 2081 BS.

Under Package-2, Sino Hydro Corporation of China is handling the powerhouse and related equipment. Bhandari stated that excavation work for underground structures is complete, and the civil construction work for most structures has been finished. The main concreting work for structures such as the powerhouse, cable tunnel, surge tank, and tailrace has been completed, bringing the progress for this package to 73 percent.

According to Bhandari, the civil work for the powerhouse is nearly complete, while the electro-mechanical work is ongoing. Roofing and water discharge system installations are currently underway at the powerhouse.