The developers of the 1,063-megawatt semi-reservoir-based Upper Arun Hydropower Project have started building a 21-kilometer access road to the project’s dam site in Bhotkhola Rural Municipality, Sankhuwasabha. Construction materials are being transported by helicopter to facilitate the work, informed Purna Chauhan, the project's administration chief.
The project has acquired 413 ropanis of land for the access road and cleared 2,100 trees, added Chauhan. The porject has paid Rs 136.5 million to the Department of Forest for felling trees in the national and community forests of Bhotkhola Rural Municipality Wards 2 and 4.
As per the Project Development Agreement (PDA), saplings will be planted in another location to compensate for the felled trees, with the project already paying Rs 136.5 million for planting, raising, and growing them.
The access road will extend from Chhorang in Bhotkhola-4 to Rukuma Phedi in Bhotkhola-2. A budget of Rs 7.91 billion has been allocated for the construction of the access road. The contract to build the 21-kilometer road, including a two-kilometer tunnel route, has been awarded to India’s Gayatri JV and Jhapa-based Kankai Surunga JV Company. Motorable bridges will also be built over the Arun and Chepuwa rivers along the route.
The Upper Arun Hydropower Project has distributed Rs 2.23 billion in compensation to acquire land for the project. A total of 2,500 ropanis of land was acquired from local residents for project development. -- RSS
Construction of Upper Arun Hydropower Project Access Road Begins
The developers of the 1,063-megawatt capacity semi-reservoir based Upper Arun Hydropower Project have started construction of a 21-kilometer access road leading to the dam site of the project to be built in Bhotkhola Rural Municipality of Sankhuwasabha district.
Land has been acquired for the construction of the access road and 2,100 trees have been felled, informed Purna Chauhan, the project's administration chief. Construction of the access road has begun by transporting construction materials by helicopter. 413 ropanis of land have been acquired for the construction of the project.
Rs. 136.5 million has been paid to the Forest Department for the felling of trees in the national forest and community forest of Bhotkhola Rural Municipality-2 and 4 wards. According to Administration Chief Chauhan, the price of land in that area was fixed at Rs. 150,000 per ropani. Even if trees are felled during the operation of the project, according to the Development Agreement (PDA), the saplings will be planted in another place. The project has already paid Rs. 136.5 million to the Forest Department for planting, raising and growing saplings.
A road will be constructed from Bhotkhola Rural Municipality-4, Chhorang to Bhotkhola-2, Rukuma Phedi. Rs 7.91 billion 3.9 million has been allocated for the construction of the access road.
Contract for the construction of 21 kilometres access road including 2 kms tunnel route has been given to Gayatri JV of India and Kankai Surunga JV Company of Jhapa. Motorable bridges would also be constructed over the Arun river and Chepuwa river along the access route.
The Upper Arun Hydropower Project has distributed a total of Rs 2.23 billion in compensation for the land acquired to develop the 1,063 megawatt project at Bhotkhola Rural Municipality in Sankhuwasabha district.
Altogether 2,500 ropani of land was acquired from the locals for the project development.
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