Nepal Electricity Authority undergrounds wires in Pokhara to improve safety and aesthetics
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The Nepal Electricity Authority is installing an underground electrical wiring system in Pokhara, a city in Nepal, to replace disorganized overhead poles and wires.
This initiative is part of the Pokhara-Bharatpur Distribution System Strengthening Project, which aims to modernize the infrastructure in major urban areas and tourist spots. The project also includes the underground placement of optical fibers for telephone, cable, and internet services.
Project Chief Engineer Anand Subedi says the team has already laid 165.7 km of wires in Pokhara. The project has reached 82 percent physical progress, with a goal to finish the work by next Baisakh. So far, the authority has provided electricity through 55.2 km of the new underground system. The work has already reached more than 400 homes in the Prithvi Highway area and several key locations including Lakeside and Seti Bridge.
The project uses Horizontal Directional Drilling technology to excavate roads and lay cables. While the work started later than planned due to design and procurement issues, the authority says the underground system will provide a more reliable and higher capacity power supply. Sujitkumar Devkota, Chief of the District Traffic Office Kaski, stated that removing dilapidated poles reduces the risk of vehicle accidents and electric shocks.
The project office stated it will spend Rs 1.70 billion on the Pokhara portion of the project. While the system is expensive, the authority plans to expand the work to other areas based on utility and impact. The Nepal Electricity Authority is also completing similar work in Bharatpur, where 95 percent of the project is finished. The combined progress for both cities has reached 88 percent.
