KATHMANDU: The Office of Middle Bhotekoshi hydropower plant is mulling to cancel the contract awarded to the Chinese company after it did not complete the work on time.

Chinese company Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau had been awarded the contract to build a tunnel and power house of the 102-megawatt Middle Bhotekoshi hydropower plant for Rs eight billion.

Executive Director of the project Maniram Kafle has informed that a ‘notice to correct’ has already been dispatched to this effect.

Out of the 6,124-meter-long tunnel which was supposed to be built as per the agreement, only 1,600 meters tunnel has been constructed so far. Similarly, only 70 percent work has been completed in tunnel III.

After Fang, the general manager of Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction returned home citing busy schedule, the construction has been in limbo. Fang returned to China handing over the responsibility to Deputy General Manager Oye.

The project has given the contractor a notice to correct as a last warning complaining that the company did not complete the work on time.

“Even after dispatching the notice to correct, the contractor has not changed its working style.  We are mulling to cancel the contract awarded to the company. A board meeting will soon take an official decision on this issue,” said Kafle.

The project had extended the deadline for the first time to complete the work by June 30, 2019. To the negligence on the part of the contractor, only 42 percent of the work has been executed so far even though the contractor claims that 50 percent of the work has been completed, according to Kafle.

The project which started in 2013 should have been completed by June of 2017. It had been delayed up to June 2019 due to landslides, blockade among other reasons.

What does the local government say? 

The local governments Bhotekoshi rural municipality and Bahrabise municipality have, however, suggested not to scrap the contract awarded to the Chinese company.

Issuing a press release, municipalities suggested not to scrap the contract saying that the projected will be further delayed if it is done so.

Mayor of Bahrabise municipality and coordinator of Bhotekoshi Project Concern Committee Nimaphunjo Sherpa attributed the greed for commission to the dillydally of the project.

Similarly, Chief of Bhotekoshi rural municipality Raj Kumar Paudel urged the stakeholders to complete the project on time to ensure the investment of the locals and it is the pride project of the district.