Rs 1.29 billion projects to supply tap water to 5,000 Pokhara households

POKHARA: A tripartite agreement has been signed in Pokhara on Friday to implement three drinking water projects on a cost-sharing basis aimed at providing clean drinking water to residents of Kahudada, Kristi, Bharatpokhari, Nirmalpokhari, and Mattikhan of Pokhara Metropolitan City.

The agreement covers Bharatpokhari-Nirmalpokhari-Kristi Drinking Water Project and the Mattikhan Drinking Water Project under the Federal Water Supply and Sewerage Project, and Kahudharahara Drinking Water Project under the Climate Resilient Large Water Supply Project.

Padam Bahadur Kunwar Chhetri from the Federal Water Supply and Sewerage Management Project (Pokhara), Chief Administrative Officer Shivraj Chaulagain from Pokhara Metropolitan City, and chairpersons of the respective water user committees signed the agreement amid a ceremony in Pokhara on Friday.

Estimated to cost Rs 517.76 million, the Bharatpokhari-Nirmalpokhari-Kristi Drinking Water Project has secured Rs 284.991 million from the Ministry of Finance for its first phase. Similarly, the Kahudharahara Drinking Water Project, which is estimated to cost Rs 491.717 million, has secured Rs 210.624 million from the finance ministry. The Mattikhan Drinking Water, too, has secured funding of Rs 197.6 million from the finance ministry. The project is estimated to cost Rs 285.46 million.

The combined total cost of the three projects is Rs 1.29 billion. The federal government will bear 90% of the total cost, while Pokhara Metropolitan City will chip in with the remaining 10%.

The Bharatpokhari-Nirmalpokhari-Kristi Drinking Water Project will benefit 2,400 households. Similarly, the Mattikhan and Kahudharahara projects will benefit 1,200 and 1,500 households, respectively. Each household will get a tap under these projects.

All three projects are scheduled to be completed within 30 months.