TANAHUN: Permission has been granted to cut trees in the Chitwan section for the construction of the Damauli-Bharatpur 220 kV transmission line under the Tanahun Hydropower Project.
The Division Forest Office in Chitwan has issued a forest entry permit allowing the project to carry out tree felling, clearing and plantation work within national and community forest areas falling under the transmission line’s right-of-way from May 8, 2026.
Project Chief Shyamji Bhandari said the construction process is expected to gain momentum following the formal agreement signed between the project and the Division Forest Office.
According to the project, a total of 1,263 trees of various species will be felled in the Satanchuli Protected Forest and Satanchuli Community Forest in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-1, as well as in the Akaladevi and Siddhadevi Community Forest areas of Ward No. 29.
The project stated that the felled trees will be safely stored at locations designated by the concerned Community Forest User Groups and the Sub-Division Forest Office.
As per the Cabinet decision, the government had approved the use of 92.73 hectares of forest land in Chitwan and Tanahun districts for the transmission line project, allowing the removal of 9,127 trees.
Of the total forest area, 25.27 hectares lie in Chitwan and 67.46 hectares in Tanahun.
Based on the same decision, an agreement was signed between the project and the Department of Forest and Soil Conservation. Following the agreement, tree felling work has been carried out in coordination with the Division Forest Office, the project office and community forest user groups.
The project said tree felling has already begun in the Chitwan section, while similar work is continuing in Tanahun district.
The hydropower project, estimated to cost 505 million US dollars, is being financed jointly by Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, European Investment Bank, the Government of Nepal and Nepal Electricity Authority.
The project is expected to generate an average of 587.7 million units of electricity annually during its first 10 years of operation.
Meanwhile, the development process for the 126 MW Lower Seti Hydropower Project has also moved forward, utilizing water released after power generation from the Tanahun project along with the flow of the Madi River.
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