Almost forty percent of the pipeline laying work of the much awaited Melamchi Water Supply Project that aims to bring water to Kathmandu Valley by 2017 has been completed so far, said the Project Implementation Directorate (PID) on Wednesday.

According to Leela Prasad Dhakal, spokesperson for PID under Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited, 288 km of pipeline of the total 700 km has been placed.

“Construction of the bulk pipeline distribution network and supporting network is going on full swing and we plan to complete it by 2017,” said Dhakal.

PID has further stated that construction of six water reservoirs to collect water brought from the Melamchi project has been expedited inside the Valley. The water reservoirs are planned at Arubari, Mahankal Chaur, Bansbari, Balaju and Maharajgunj inside Kathmandu and Khumaltar in Lalitpur district.

The PID, the second key feature of the infrastructure development component of the MWSP, has already completed the construction

of a 16-km long pipeline to link with the water reservoir centres to be built. To improve the existing drinking water distribution system, the directorate has already started expanding the pipeline in Gyaneshwor, Sinamangal, Gaushala, Handigaun, Kalopul, Koteshwor, Narefant, Gwarko, Minbhawan and Lagankhel area.

Other places where the existing drinking water system supplied by the KUKL has been expanded are Maitidevi, Ratopul, Ghattekulo, Dillibazaar, Setopul, Old Baneshwor, Anamnagar, Babarmahal, Sorhakhutte, Sanepa, Kupondol, Subidhanagar, Banasthali, Shobha Bhagwati and Chamati planning area so far.   However, the progress of the first and major component of the Melamchi project that included the construction of a 26.5-km long diversion tunnel to divert 170 million litres of water per day from Melamchi river to Sundarijal outlet before sending it to the bulk distribution system inside the Valley is not found to be satisfactory.