The 10- km transmission line is being built under India’s Line of Credit of USD 550 million

India on Wednesday handed over the 220 kV double circuit power line linking Inaruwa-Basantapur-Baneshwar-Tumlingtar to Nepal.

The 106 km Koshi Corridor Transmission Line, costing a total of USD 86.8 million, is being built under India’s Line of Credit of USD 550 million, extended by the EXIM Bank.

Package 1 of this project, worth USD 37.3 million was executed by India’s Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd (KPTL) and handed over to Nepal Electricity Authority after successful completion and charging of the line, said a statement of the Indian Embassy in Nepal.

A ceremony was held on Wednesday in Hile, Dhankuta, Nepal to mark the completion.

The project was handed over by KPTL and EXIM Bank of India to MD, Nepal Electric Authority in presence of Deputy Chief of Mission Namgya Khampa.

In her remarks, DCM Khampa underscored India’s commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation in power sector in all its dimensions, including development of power projects in Nepal, support for construction of transmission lines (both within Nepal and crossborder) and trade of electricity with India.

She also congratulated KPTL for the quality and timely completion of the work and thanked the Government of Nepal, Nepal Electricity Authority and the local administration and representatives for their support in its completion.

Once the remaining two packages of the Koshi Corridor are completed, the project will ensure smooth power evacuation from the generation projects coming up in the Arun and Tamor river basins, with power output totaling about 2000 MW.

In addition to the Koshi Corridor, India is supporting the construction of two other domestic power transmission lines in Nepal, the Modi-Lekhnath Line and the Solu Corridor line, both 132 kV.

India also continues to support construction of several cross-border transmission links between India and Nepal, between national and state grids.

This is a key-element of India’s emphasis on enhancing cross-border economic connectivity as part of India’s larger ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.