Kathmandu, November 30
The Bheri Babai Diversion took 80 long days to construct 150 metres of its tunnel. But, thanks to a new tunnel boring machine (TBM) imported from China, the project constructed 300 metres of the tunnel within 20 days.
If the machine was not imported, the project could take five months for the task.
The project needs to dig a 12-kilometre tunnel and the project aims to complete it by 2020.
The machine, which can dig 20 metres every day, will construct the section of tunnel from Hattikhal to Chiple in Surkhet district.
The ambitious project is expected to irrigate 51,000 hectare land in Bardiya and Banke districts. It will also produce 48 megawatt electricity.
The project, however, says it has not begun any preparation to power generation yet. The process will begin after the completion of tunnel production.
Two powerhouses will be developed for electricity production.
“After digging the tunnel,” the project chief Shiva Kumar Basnet says, “We will begin works for the powerhouses. Currently, we are preparing the documents.”
