Hilly Villages in Nawalpur Remain Without Electricity Despite Infrastructure Installation

NAWALPARASI: Despite the installation of power lines and poles in the hilly regions of Nawalpur (Bardaghat Susta East), electricity has yet to reach the local communities.

Villages such as Arkhala and Deurali in Bulingtar Rural Municipality remain disconnected from the national grid. Ward Chairman Min Bahadur Ale stated that although the distribution infrastructure, including poles and wires, was completed over a year ago in Arkhala, power supply has not commenced.

Residents of Deurali have long paid for meter connections but remain in the dark. While the Nepal Electricity Authority operates a substation in Bojha Pokhari, villages just 7-8 kilometers away continue to rely on micro-hydro projects or remain without power, according to Chairman Ale.

Ale expressed frustration, noting that micro-hydro power is only available at night, leaving residents to stare at idle power lines during the day. He added that the lack of electricity hampers ward office operations, as solar power is unreliable during cloudy weather, forcing the office to turn away service seekers.

Shivanarayan Goshali, Chief of the Kawasoti Electricity Distribution Center, attributed the delay to contractor negligence. The project, initiated under the Gandaki Province government's 'Ujyalo Gandaki Province' program in the fiscal year 2076-077, was contracted to Unicorn Construction, which failed to complete the work on time.

Goshali stated that budget has been allocated to repair damage caused by landslides, and the authority is pressuring the contractor to finish the remaining work. Plans are underway to extend electricity to Deurali, Arkhala, Singchyang, and Kokhetar along the Kaligandaki Corridor soon.