Bheri-Babai Diversion Project Faces Significant Delays and Uncertainty

Surkhet. If the work on the national pride Bheri-Babai Multipurpose Diversion Project had proceeded according to the target, it would have been completed two years ago. The water from the Bheri River would have been diverted to the Babai, providing year-round irrigation to 51,000 hectares of land in Banke and Bardiya. Furthermore, 48 megawatts of electricity would have already been generated under the same project.

However, the overall physical progress of the project is currently limited to only 69 percent. According to the project, the financial progress as of the end of Chaitra stands at 58 percent.

When former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli performed the 'breakthrough' of the tunnel construction on 076 Baishakh 3, it was claimed that the construction would be completed one year ahead of the contract period.

The project, which began in the fiscal year 068/069, was expected to be completed in 077/078, but it failed to achieve the target progress.

Work at the site began in 071/072 with a revised schedule aiming for completion in 078/079. However, not only has the work on such a large project not met the targets, but there is also no certainty as to when the project will be completed.

Even three years after the initial deadline, the project is failing to gain momentum.

Initially, the total cost of the project was set at 33 billion 19 million 66 lakh. So far, 19 billion 40 million has been spent.

According to Project Chief Haridatta Paudel, the latest deadline for the project expired on Chaitra 20. 'The second deadline ended in 082 Bhadra, after which 230 days were added for the third time,' he said.

Project Chief Paudel told Ratopati that documents have been submitted for another extension. 'The file for the fourth deadline extension has been submitted,' he added, 'However, the department has asked us to clarify other details. We are submitting additional information on 5/6 more points.'

The deadline has been extended for only one month to ensure work does not stop immediately. He stated that the fourth extension will be granted once the project submits all additional documents.

• What has been done so far?

Located at Chiple, Bheriganga Municipality-11, Surkhet, the project aims to divert 40 cubic meters of water per second into the Babai River through a 12.2-kilometer-long tunnel with a 4.20-meter diameter, including a 120-meter-long barrage and a desilting basin on the Bheri River.

Out of three turbines with a capacity of 23.4 megawatts each, one is intended for maintenance periods, while the remaining two will operate regularly to generate 46.8 megawatts of electricity at a powerhouse on the banks of the Babai River in Hattikhal, Bheriganga Municipality, producing approximately 400 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually.

Once completed, the project aims to provide year-round irrigation to approximately 51,000 hectares of arable land in Bardiya and Banke districts using the additional 40 cubic meters per second of water available in the Babai River through the Babai Irrigation Project's headworks.

However, the project has not been able to gain the necessary momentum. Every task in the project is facing delays.

The Chinese company COVEC, which was responsible for the first phase of tunnel construction, completed the work in 076 Baishakh, one year ahead of schedule.

Work progressed rapidly in the initial phase. The 12.2-kilometer tunnel was constructed. Subsequent work faced some delays. According to the project, the second phase of work is currently underway.

Raman/Guangdong JV started work with the goal of completing the dam construction by 080 Shrawan 29.

'In the first phase, we used a boring machine to dig the tunnel,' said Project Chief Paudel, 'Since this is under the Mahabharat range, we did not build the powerhouse and dam at that time as it was the first test to see if any problems would arise during the work.'

After the tunnel was built, construction of the powerhouse and later the dam began. Those works only started after 075/076. In that sense, only the tunnel work was done in the first phase. All remaining work fell into the second phase.

Currently, work is underway to build a 1.7-kilometer transmission line for the second phase to connect to the national grid. The environmental study process for this has begun.

Similarly, the surge tank construction has started, and work on the left side of the Bheri River dam is nearing completion.

According to him, half of the dam is expected to be completed this year. These are tasks that should have been completed two years ago.

• Why is the project being delayed?

According to Project Chief Paudel, the main reason for the delay is the construction company. 'First of all, the capacity of our contractors was weak,' he said, 'There were some shortcomings in the criteria used to evaluate their capacity.'

He mentioned that there were loopholes in the documents regarding the selection of capable and experienced contractors for large and complex work. 'Because of that, a qualified contractor could not be selected. That is why the project was delayed,' he said.

According to Paudel, since the Nepali contractors lacked the necessary work experience and financial capacity, they formed a joint venture and sought partners.

The Nepali firm Raman Construction Service has a Chinese partner named Guangdong, but Project Chief Paudel says the Chinese company is not currently involved in the work.

'We are unable to bring them to work,' he said, 'We called them to the department some time ago and told them that if you don't come, the Nepali partner alone cannot do the work; either you come, or there is no possibility of finishing the project on time.'

He said the Chinese company has not yet responded. The project period is updated until 084/085. The project office has analyzed that if work does not proceed at a rapid pace, it will be difficult to complete the remaining 31 percent of the work in the next two years.

• Risk of being labeled a 'problematic project'

There is talk of placing Bheri-Babai in the 'problematic' project category. According to the project office, this is due to issues with the construction company.

Raman Construction Service, which is working on this project, was also contracted for the Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Project. That is also a national pride project.

The contract there has been terminated. 'There is a concern about how that will affect this,' says Project Chief Haridatta Paudel, 'If the contract is terminated and all bank guarantees are forfeited, the company could face financial problems.'

However, he mentioned that the construction company claims it is not in financial trouble.

• Is there a possibility of work being done according to the revised schedule?

According to Paudel, if the construction company works rapidly and no problems arise, the work will be completed in 084/085. For this, the construction company must be able to mobilize workers. Also, there should be no lack of investment.

'Because investment and money are needed to bring goods, materials, and workers,' he said, 'But still, the construction company must finish the project in two years. Half the work is already done.'

According to him, the contract was initially for four years, so it should not take more than two years now.

He adds, 'If it appears that it will take longer than that, the project will have to be placed in the problematic category and another alternative will have to be sought. We will look at the company's performance level until the end of the coming Ashad. If the progress made by the end of this Ashad shows that the project can be finished within two years, it will continue.'

Otherwise, he says, alternatives will be considered. He stated that this has already been communicated to the department.