Pokhara underground power line project reaches 65% completion

KATHMANDU: Work to place electricity distribution lines underground is progressing steadily in Pokhara’s main market areas, with sections from the Pokhara International Airport gateway to Seti Bridge already completed.

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is implementing the project under the Pokhara–Bharatpur Distribution System Strengthening Project, which has been underway in Pokhara for the past three years.

According to Project Chief Anand Subedi, underground cabling is currently in progress from the airport area through Prithvi Chowk, Srijana Chowk, Ratna Chowk, Rastra Bank Chowk, Shahid Chowk, Lakeside, Hallan Chowk, Bulaundi, and up to Zero Kilometer.

“About 65 percent of the work in Pokhara has been completed so far,” Subedi said, adding that work in the New Road area will begin at a later stage. He noted that construction is scheduled to be completed by June 31, and expressed confidence that the project will be finished within the deadline.

The project began in 2022, though actual construction started about a year later due to time spent on design preparation and geological studies.

Electricity lines are being laid underground using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) method, which minimizes surface disruption.

Transformers have been installed at various points to supply electricity directly to households.

Once completed, the underground system is expected to eliminate tangled overhead wires and roadside poles, significantly enhancing urban safety and the visual appeal of the city.

The project covers 23 kilometers of Pokhara’s core areas and is being implemented at a cost of Rs 1.7 billion under a contract with India-based Tata Projects.

In Bharatpur, where the same project is underway, around 74 percent of the work has been completed, with a total cost of Rs 1.3 billion.

Meanwhile, Pokhara Metropolitan City has shown interest in organizing internet and telephone cables alongside the underground power system.

Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said the city has held multiple discussions with internet service providers, urging them to coordinate with the NEA and remove unnecessary and unmanaged cables from utility poles.

“Our plan is to make Pokhara’s market areas wire-free,” Mayor Acharya said. “We have requested service providers to cooperate with the Electricity Authority. If they fail to remove unmanaged cables, the metropolitan city will take action on its own.”