The Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project, which holds significant potential for boosting agricultural productivity in Madhes Province, is progressing slowly due to delays by contractors and technical challenges. Despite its importance, only 36.83 percent of the project’s physical work has been completed so far.
Originally slated to begin in the fiscal year 2019/20 and be completed by 2028/29, the project has an estimated cost of Rs 49.42bn. Of the allocated Rs 19.33bn budget, Rs 16.5bn has been spent. While approximately 53 percent of the dam construction is complete, overall progress remains slow. The project aims to divert 67,000 liters per second of water from the Sunkoshi River into the Marin River, providing year-round irrigation to 122,000 hectares of land across Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, and Bara districts. Additionally, it is expected to generate 31.07 megawatts of hydroelectric power, with potential annual revenue of Rs 1.55bn from electricity generation.
The project involves constructing a barrage about one kilometer downstream from the Sunkoshi-Tamakoshi confluence in Sindhuli district, with water to be transported through a 13.316 km tunnel into the Marin River. So far, tunnel construction has been completed using TBM machines, and environmental impact assessments (including supplementary studies) have been approved. Compensation has been distributed for 46.61 hectares of land, and construction on 2 km of the Marin River Control Work is underway. The project has also issued a second contract package and initiated lift irrigation in flood-affected areas.
According to Project Chief Achutraj Gautam, coordination with the Department of Roads for the Madan Bhandari Road Realization Design is ongoing, and transmission line work is also in progress. The cost estimate for electromechanical components has been finalized, and a pre-feasibility study is underway to explore additional power generation from a cascading system between the Marin and Bagmati rivers.
The project’s overall progress stands at 36.83 percent physically and 33.39 percent financially. Mobilization funds totaling Rs 1.214bn have been issued, while Rs 2.135bn (approximately 15 percent of the total) has been paid to contractors.
Multiple construction companies have been awarded contracts for various parts of the project. China Overseas Engineering Group, responsible for the headrace tunnel and related structures, has completed 97 percent of its work. In contrast, Patel Raman JV, tasked with civil and hydro-mechanical works, has completed only 10 percent since the contract was signed.
The project office has issued 22 letters to various contractors concerning work delays. According to the project chief, over 600 letters have been sent regarding different issues, but many remain unanswered, violating the 28-day response time outlined in the contract. “The negligence is evident—we received the same drawing 28 times,” said Gautam. “Despite several management meetings, Patel Engineering has not met its commitments.”
Raman JV representative Naveen Chaudhary cited weather-related difficulties for the delays. “Due to continuous rain and unstable soil, our machinery cannot function properly. Workers are unwilling to continue in such conditions. We plan to resume full-scale work after November,” he said.
The project has also encountered several instances of non-compliance by contractors, including the use of unapproved materials, lack of transparency regarding stock, and failure to adhere to safety protocols and technical specifications. Contractors have not built the engineer-employee camp that was due within six months—even after two and a half years. Additionally, repeated demands for extra payments have been made without fulfilling contractual obligations.
Under one contract package, only 7,000 cubic meters of the required 48,000 cubic meters of work have been completed. The project office has also cited delays in submitting proper method statements and inefficient use of mobilization payments as further obstacles.
