Lamjung — The long-standing obstruction to the Lamjung section of the under-construction Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV National Transmission Line has been resolved after nearly 12 years.
The blockage, which affected approximately 10 kilometers of the transmission line from Khudi in Marsyangdi Rural Municipality–3 to the Udipur Substation in Besishahar Municipality–1, had been caused by local opposition.
Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Khanal said that a 12-point agreement was reached on Friday at the District Administration Office between the project and affected local residents, paving the way for the removal of the obstruction and the continuation of construction works. According to him, the agreement was signed under the administration’s mediation between the Rights Forum Lamjung, representing the protesting side, and the Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV Transmission Line Project of the Nepal Electricity Authority.
Representing affected residents and Indigenous communities, a group led by Khemjung Gurung had been obstructing construction, demanding the implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
Although the affected communities insisted that FPIC should be applied, the project side argued that most of the construction work had already been completed and that implementing FPIC at the current stage would involve legal and practical complications. However, both parties agreed that future projects should adopt procedures that ensure the rights of Indigenous peoples are properly protected.
The agreement was signed by Project Chief Narayan Regmi and Khemjung Gurung, Chairperson of the Rights Forum (FPIC).
Gurung said the movement had begun in 2015, with the demand that the rights of Indigenous peoples be respected and protected. He added that both sides had reached a practical agreement, while legal concerns related to Indigenous rights would be addressed and ensured in the future.
Project Chief Regmi said construction work on approximately 10 kilometers of the transmission line had remained stalled due to local opposition. Even tower foundation works could not be carried out.
“Following the agreement between both sides, our work can now move forward. Local residents who have not yet received compensation will now be able to do so,” he said.
According to Regmi, about 21 percent of the people affected by the project in the area have yet to receive compensation. He described the agreement as a resolution to a problem that had persisted for nearly a decade.
He further said that construction of the transmission line from Aanbukhaireni in Tanahun to Bharatpur has been completed, and only the charging of the substation built in Bharatpur remains. Obstructions in Palungtar, Gorkha, have also been removed, and construction there is now in its final stage.
The transmission line stretches approximately 67 kilometers from Udipur to the New Bharatpur Substation. Substations at Udipur and Khudi Tarikuna in Lamjung have already been constructed and energized. Meanwhile, the 46-kilometer transmission line section from Khudi in Lamjung to Ghelanchok in Manang is currently under construction.
The project comprises a double-circuit 220 kV transmission line extending about 113 kilometers from Dharapani in Manang to Bharatpur in Chitwan.
Once completed, the transmission line will have the capacity to evacuate and transmit around 1,600 MW of electricity generated within the Marsyangdi Corridor to Nepal’s national grid.
According to the agreement, 10 percent compensation will be provided for land located beneath transmission towers in accordance with prevailing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) provisions and relevant laws.
The agreement also stipulates that compensation and reimbursement arrangements will be made for land falling within the transmission line’s right-of-way corridor. Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Khanal said that for land pledged as collateral to banks and financial institutions and therefore under restriction, a mechanism will be established with a specified timeframe to ensure that more than 20 percent of the compensation amount is paid directly to the landowners.
Khanal noted that the agreement was reached after repeated efforts by the district administration to facilitate dialogue between the parties and that it is expected to bring an end to the dispute and protests.
Assistant Chief District Officer Thamman Singh Gautam said both sides had also agreed that if houses, sheds, or public structures fall within the transmission line’s right-of-way, they will be assessed and compensated accordingly. In addition, affected owners will receive payments as outlined in the project’s Resettlement Action Plan (RAP).
According to Gautam, the agreement further includes provisions to provide alternative land, if necessary, to support the relocation of settlements directly affected by the project.
The agreement also states that the use of forest land and the felling of trees will be carried out based on the decisions and recommendations of local governments and Community Forest User Groups, while minimizing environmental impacts.
It further provides that trees removed during construction will be compensated through reforestation in the affected areas, and any related funds will be deposited into the accounts of the respective forest user committees.
The agreement includes provisions to ensure that the transmission line is constructed with minimal impact on human settlements, temples and monasteries, cemeteries, schools, and sites of cultural and historical significance. It also commits to implementing social responsibility programs with special priority for vulnerable groups, including children at risk, pregnant women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities. In addition, the local community has agreed to provide the necessary support throughout the construction period.
The Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV Transmission Line Project is a nationally significant infrastructure project being developed by the Nepal Electricity Authority with financial support from the Government of Nepal and concessional loans from the European Investment Bank. The project has an estimated cost of approximately NPR 16 billion.
The Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV Transmission Line Project and the protesting Rights Forum (FPIC) Lamjung formally signed the agreement on Friday at the District Administration Office in Lamjung, bringing an end to a long-running dispute that had delayed construction for years.
Kantipur
