Kathmandu. A processing plant with a capacity of one and a half million liters per day is under construction to clean the Tukucha River that flows through the central part of Kathmandu and divert it to the Bagmati River.

The processing plant is being constructed on 2.53 hectares of land on the bank of Tripureshwor of Kathmandu and Kupandole River in Lalitpur.

The water will be treated and the clean water will be diverted to the Bagmati River by sending the water to the treatment plant. As a by-product of the centre, 800 KW electricity will also be generated.

Currently, the construction of the sewage treatment plant is underway in Tripureshwor. However, the construction of structures towards Lalitpur has not started due to obstruction by the locals. Only the structures that generate electricity in Lalitpur will remain. However, the main sewage treatment structures are under construction towards Tripureshwor.

The overall physical and financial progress of the construction is 20 percent. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and Urban Development Kulman Ghising on Saturday inspected the under-construction processing center.

On the occasion, Minister Ghising held discussion with the project management, consultants and contractors involved in the project, about the progress schedule of the construction, problems being faced and policy decisions to be made for resolving them.

He directed to proceed with the construction works accordingly as there is a condition to operate from all parts of the construction site at present. Minister Ghising said that the construction works were delayed due to the delay of around two years in removing the trees from the construction site and obstruction by the locals towards Lalitpur.

He said that the government was carrying out works to clean the Bagmati river, keeping the management of its tributaries and riverbanks in top priority.

The contractor had expressed commitment to complete the construction works on the stipulated time.

The cost of the processing plant is Rs 3.18 billion with concessional loan received through the Asian Development Bank’s Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project.

The contract for the construction of the center was signed in Jestha 2079. The construction of the center is scheduled for November 2083 with the deadline extended.