Government Re-invites Bids for Sun Koshi-Marin Diversion Project

Kathmandu. The government has invited international competitive bids (ICB) for the remaining construction work of the national pride Sun Koshi-Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project after about seven months. The Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, issued a notice on Monday, advancing the new tender process for the construction of the remaining structures of the project. According to the notice issued by the department, eligible Nepali and foreign construction companies have been invited to participate in the bidding process. The construction work of civil, hydro-mechanical components, and related structures under the project will be carried forward through a new contract system. The bidding process will be conducted through a single-stage, two-envelope international competitive system. Companies interested in participating in the bid must have a minimum average annual construction turnover of 42.181 million US dollars in the best three years within the last 10 years. Although the main tunnel construction of the project has been completed, important works such as the headworks, powerhouse, civil, and hydromechanical structures are still pending. The contract with the construction entrepreneur Patel-Raman JV, Janakpur-9 Dhanusha, which was previously awarded the construction, was terminated on November 11, 2025, after which the project work was halted. The government has also given high priority to the project in its budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84. The budget statement mentions that the construction work will be started by re-tendering for the construction of the dam and powerhouse of the Sun Koshi-Marin Diversion Project, with the aim of completing it within four years. For this, the government has allocated 2.98 billion rupees in the current fiscal year. The tunnel construction work of this project, being built with the aim of diverting the water of the Sun Koshi River through a 13.3-kilometer-long tunnel into the Marin Khola, has been successfully completed. Upon completion of the project, reliable irrigation facilities will be available year-round for approximately 122,000 hectares of arable land in Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Sarlahi, and Mahottari districts. This is expected to significantly increase agricultural production in the Terai-Madhesh region. Similarly, the project aims to generate 31.07 megawatts of hydropower. This project, which integrates agriculture, energy, and water resource management, is believed to contribute significantly to food security, agricultural modernization, energy production, and the development of the rural economy.