Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Millennium Challenge Account (MCA-Nepal) has said that it plans to launch the procurement of road maintenance works using Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) technology by October.
MCA-Nepal made the announcement during a special program organized in Kathmandu on Wednesday to celebrate a year of progress since the Entry into Force on August 30, 2023.
“The Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) Report for road maintenance works in the 40 km segment of the road from Dhan Khola to Lamahi in the East-West Highway has been approved by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. We plan to launch the procurement of road maintenance works using Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) technology by October,” it said in a statement.
The segment will be maintained by applying new climate-smart technology of Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) and Superpave.
According to the MCA Nepal, it has completed the signing of high-value contracts worth $126 million to construct 400 kV substations, the selection of a contractor for the critical 18 km transmission line with an estimated budget of $13.2 million, and a $1.2 million contract to provide embedded advisory support to the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Additionally, it supported 270 project-affected people through the Livelihood Restoration Program following successful land acquisition for the Ratmate substation in Nuwakot.
MCA-Nepal has awarded contracts for the construction of three 400 kV GIS substations in Nawalparasi West, Nuwakot and Tanahun districts. “Two substations, the New Damauli Substation and the Ratmate Substation, will each have a capacity of 1000 MVA, making them the largest substations in the country,” MCA-Nepal said in the statement.
Similarly, it has selected a contractor for the 18 km cross-border transmission line segment and is planning to launch procurement for the 297 km transmission line by November.
According to MCA-Nepal, Compensation Fixation Committees (CFC) have already been formed in nine out of 10 districts to determine compensation for land to be acquired for 856 tower pads for the transmission line project. “Rates for the land to be acquired in Dhading, Makwanpur and Nawalparasi West have already been fixed, while the CFCs are in the process of determining rates in six districts. MCA-Nepal has also started consultation in Kathmandu regarding land acquisition,” it added.
MCA-Nepal also said that it has completed forest census works in nine out of 10 project-affected districts. It plans to start forest census work in Kathmandu in the current fiscal year.
The special purpose vehicle, which is implementing Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) projects in Nepal, has also signed a contract worth $1.2 million to provide advisory support in the economic/financial, technical, legal and policy/institutional regulatory work of the Electricity Regulatory Commission. Likewise, it signed a contract worth $2.4 million in July to provide consultancy services to enhance electricity use with a focus on preparing Municipal Energy Plans and developing capacities for productive use of electricity within affected wards under the MCA Partnership Program under the Electricity Transmission Project.
