Pokhara-Mugling Road Construction Stalled Over Unresolved Power Pole Dispute

Kaski. The construction of the Pokhara section under the Pokhara-Mugling road project has been hampered by the failure to remove 11 kV dedicated power line poles leading to the Pokhara International Airport. The inability to remove 29 poles from the Kundahar substation to the airport entrance has stalled the construction of the road's service lane and footpath.

Project Chief Engineer Krishna Bahadur Kunwar stated that despite repeated correspondence with the airport office and the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), no action has been taken. The airport has been utilizing a dedicated power line connected from Kundahar Chowk.

Engineer Kunwar noted that the NEA has refused to remove the poles until the airport office pays for the infrastructure built to underground the power lines. Anand Subedi, Chief Engineer of the NEA's Pokhara-Bharatpur Distribution System Strengthening Project, stated that while the underground infrastructure is ready, service cannot commence until the airport clears its dues.

He stated that the airport owes Rs 16.3 million to the authority. "The underground service will only begin after the payment for the dedicated line's underground infrastructure is settled," he said. "Once the underground system is operational, the poles will be removed, or the road project can remove them itself."

Due to the delay, the airport continues to operate on the old power structure. Engineer Subedi mentioned that the airport management has only provided verbal assurances. "We discussed this with Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadgaraj Paudel in Pokhara on Saturday, and we are optimistic about a resolution at the ministry level," he said.

The NEA maintains that it cannot activate the underground lines without payment to avoid potential legal complications. The authority has already completed the infrastructure for undergrounding cables along the one-kilometer stretch from Kundahar Chowk to the airport entrance. Engineer Kunwar added that authorities have been urged to expedite the removal of non-compliant structures, water pipes, and trees.

He emphasized the need to clear these obstacles quickly to meet the target of completing the western section (Pokhara-Jamune) within the current fiscal year. The contract for the road has been extended for the third time until Ashar 15. To date, the project has achieved 77.47 percent physical progress and 62.20 percent financial progress.

Out of the 38.71 km stretch, second-phase blacktopping has been completed on 37.28 km. Of the 36.32 km service lane, 17.66 km has been blacktopped, Engineer Kunwar reported.

The project to underground power lines, which began in Baisakh 2080 after being contracted in Magh 2078, has reached 67 percent physical progress. The initiative is part of the NEA's effort to underground power lines in Pokhara's main urban areas.

Engineer Subedi stated that power distribution through underground cables has already begun from the airport entrance to the Seti bridge at Prithvichowk. Currently, work is underway to lay cables in areas including Srijanachowk, Sabhagriha, Prithvichowk, Zero Kilometer, and the Jarebar area of Lakeside.