Flood risks stall Mahakali project

A four-lane concrete bridge and access road have been constructed over the Mahakali River for the dry port under development in Dodhara Chandani. A six-lane, eight-kilometer-long road now connects Gaddachauki—the terminus of the East-West Highway—to the dry port site at Malaria Nala in Dodhara-Chandani-1. Additionally, an agreement was made to build a pond alongside the bridge and road. Two ponds, each 2,600 meters long, are currently under construction on either side of the bridge to enhance the area’s appeal as a tourist destination. However, the Mahakali River remains undammed for the ponds.

The absence of a dam has caused challenges. In 2021, flooding in the Mahakali River destroyed the access road, also known as the viral road. The original design included guide bunds (dams) on both sides of the bridge, constructed with stones weighing over 250 kilograms. However, due to the unavailability of such large stones, the bunds were built using gabion mesh and plum concrete, which were subsequently destroyed by floods in September last year. This prompted the Mahakali Bridge Planning Office to revise the dam’s design twice.

The Mahakali River spans two kilometers in width in this area, with an 800-meter bridge crossing it. The ponds under construction on either side are 2,600 meters long and 600 meters wide. The northern dam, located near Bhimdatta Municipality, was destroyed by flooding, and its reconstruction is yet to be completed.

Technicians are now considering building a concrete dam after the plum concrete structure was washed away. During a flood event, when the river’s flow reached 461,000 cusecs, approximately 200 meters of the dam were destroyed. Three years ago, the river’s flow peaked at 547,000 cusecs, flooding villages and damaging infrastructure. Bhimdatta Municipality-11, 12, 13 were submerged. Without timely construction of a dam, there is a significant risk of future floods destroying the bridge’s access road and entering nearby settlements.

Criticism has also been directed at the original bridge design. Both the construction company and the bridge project team have conducted studies and prepared reports on the pond dam’s collapse. The bridge planning office has attributed the failure to delays in design approval, budget releases, and variations in construction plans.

Sub-engineer Durgadutta Awasthi of the Mahakali Bridge Planning Office emphasized the urgency of rebuilding the guide bund before the next monsoon. “If the collapsed dam is not rebuilt in time, additional risks will arise during the coming monsoon,” he said. “The construction company has been unable to proceed due to delays in approving design variations. If the dam is not completed by May, other structures here are also at risk.” The office has already forwarded the file for variation approval to the ministry.

Engineer Kishor Pandey from Kumar Shrestha CFEC JV, the construction company, explained that work has stalled due to pending approvals for the revised design. “The new design was approved in April last year, but the variation remains unresolved despite repeated requests,” said Pandey. He warned that further delays could lead to catastrophic damage. “We started construction on credit, hoping for government approval. The flood caused a loss exceeding Rs 100, and we have yet to receive compensation due to the lack of variation approval.”

The company has written to the Mahakali Bridge Project and the Prime Minister’s Office, stating that work cannot resume immediately. Locals fear that if the dam is not reconstructed before the monsoon, nearby settlements will face severe risks.

Ward Chairperson Ram Bahadur Bohara of Bhimdatta-13 highlighted the potential displacement of over 1,100 households in his ward. “Last September’s flood diverted the Mahakali River toward the settlement,” he said. “The government must urgently construct the Bhujela River dam; otherwise, the monsoon could bring even greater destruction.” Similarly, Ward Chair Bhupendra Singh Rawal of Bhimdatta-12 warned of escalating damage if work is delayed further. “Locals here are already living in fear of the floods,” he said.

Two hundred meters of blacktop work remains incomplete in the Gaddachauki area of the access road. While the concrete bridge infrastructure for the Dodhara Chandani dry port was completed last year, other associated structures are still under construction. According to the original agreement, the 800-meter bridge, the eight-kilometer access road, and four ponds were to be completed by September 2020. However, five extensions have been granted, and a sixth is under process. The initial construction cost of Rs 3.27bn has increased by an additional Rs 1bn due to design changes.

Once the dry port and integrated check post are operational, they are expected to significantly boost trade, directly connecting Sudurpaschim Province to India. Industrialists in the region anticipate enhanced access to New Delhi and Rudrapur’s industrial area in Uttarakhand, spurring economic growth in the Sudurpaschim.