Mid Hill Highway: Pride Project or Failed?

The Mid Hill Highway is one of the Pride Projects of Nepal. It was started with hope of immense contribution socio-economy of Nepal. But its delayed progress has raised serious concerns over its effectiveness and hope. Here are the key details and current status of the Highway.

Initial Proposed Length: 1,776 Km from Chiyo Bhanjyang, Panchthar to Jhulaghat Baitadi 

Started without  complete Feasibility Study and Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Connects 26 districts and 215 settlements.

Approved from Nepal Government's Internal Fund; 26th Falgun, 2065

Initial Cost Estimate: 33 Arab 36 Crore

Started from 2064/65 BS and proposed to complete in 2074/75.

Listed in National Pride Project: 2069/70

Divided in two projects, East and West in 2067/68

After 2075/76 restructured as  मध्यपहाडी लोकमार्ग आयोजना निर्देशनालय with 5 project offices; Panchthar, Ramechhap, Gorkha, Parbat and Dailekh

Revised Length: 1,879 Km with 137 Bridges

Revised Estimate: 86 Arab 33 Crore (152.78% increment)

Revised Completion: 2084/85

Current Statues till 2081/82: 

• Expenditure: 71 Arab 9 Crore 87 Lakhs 
• 82% Physical progress.
• 1510 Km Black topped, 92 Bridges
• Average spending per fiscal year from 2064/65 to 2081/82: 3 Arab 94 Crore

Status of Natural Gas in the Kathmandu Valley

The “Kathmandu Gas Project” was established in 1978 for the exploration of natural gas beneath the ground of the Kathmandu Valley, with the support of the Department of Mines and Geology and the Japanese aid agency JICA. This project was the first to initiate research and study on the possibility of natural gas within the Kathmandu Valley.

Subsequently, with technical and financial assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), around 26 square kilometers were divided into 3 blocks, and a total of 14 gas wells were drilled on various dates. According to the studies, tests, and exploration reports conducted in different phases, the findings include:

• Gas Porosity: 35%

• Gas-Water Ratio (0.4): 1:2.5

• Reserve Thickness: 85 meters

• Gas Reserve:

• Block A: 47.6 million cubic meters (Proven)

• Block B: 170 million cubic meters (Probable)

• Block C: 100.8 million cubic meters (Probable)

The places and dates of gas well drilling conducted under this project are as follows:

Well No.	Location	Depth (m)	Drilling Year (BS/AD)	Block
1	Department of Industry Premises, Tripureshwor, Kathmandu	305	2037/38 (1980/81)	A
2	Pachali, Teku, Kathmandu	301, 350	2039/40, 2073/74 (1982/83, 2016/17)	A
3	Waste Management Premises, Kuleshwor, Kathmandu	302	2039/40 (1982/83)	A
4	Hyumat, Kalimati, Kathmandu	300	2042/43 (1985/86)	A
5	Hyumat, Kalimati, Kathmandu	454.4	2042/43 (1985/86)	A
6	Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu	570.13	2044/45 (1987/88)	A
7	Teku Dobhan, Kathmandu	358.8	2044/45 (1987/88)	A
8	Shankhamul, Kathmandu	455.31	2045/46 (1988/89)	B
9	Koteshwor Mahadevsthan, Kathmandu	300	2047/48 (1990/91)	B
10	Koteshwor Tinkune, Kathmandu	300	2048/49 (1991/92)	B
11	Koteshwor Jadibuti, Kathmandu	300	2048/49 (1991/92)	B
12	Tikathali, Lalitpur	300	2049/50 (1992/93)	C
13	Balkumari, Lalitpur	300	2049/50 (1992/93)	C
14	Imadol, Lalitpur	300, 350	2049/50, 2071/72 (1992/93, 2014/15)	C

• Gas Reserve Estimate:

o   Gas prospective zone = 26sq. km.

o   Average gas reservoir thickness = 85m

o   Porosity = 35%

o   Gas water ratio = 0.4

o   Total gas reserve = 26000000*85*0.35*0.4 = 300 million cubic meter 

The reserve estimation for three blocks is as follows: 

Parameter	Block A (Teku–Tripureshwor)	Block B (Koteshwor–Tinkune)	Block C (Manahara–Imadol)
Prospective Area	4 sq. km	14 sq. km	8 sq. km
Porosity	35%	35%	35%
Gas-Water Ratio	0.4	0.4	0.4
Reserve Thickness	85 m	85 m	85 m
Gas Reserve	4,000,000 × 85 × 0.35 × 0.4 = 47.6 million m³ (Proved)	14,000,000 × 85 × 0.35 × 0.4 = 170 million m³ (Possible)	8,000,000 × 85 × 0.35 × 0.4 = 100.8 million m³ (Possible)

Gas Distribution

Around the year 1983, with the support of JICA, a gas bullet with a capacity of 500 cubic meters was constructed in Teku, Pachali of Block A as a trial. Gas from Well No. 1, 2, and 3 was stored in the bullet through a pipeline system and distributed via pipelines to nearby government offices and hospitals for several years.

The brief description of those boreholes is as follows:

DMG Well No.1: Cottage Industry Office, Tripureswor

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1284.39 m; Drilled Depth-305 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone 10 to 189 m; Aquifer tapped -188 to 297 m, 5 places, 85 m; Specific capacity 146 to 200 cum/day/m2

DMG Well No.2: Model Gas Plant Premises, Teku

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1281.93 m; Drilled Depth -301 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone 1.5 to 42, 44 to 69, 99 to 140 and 145-183 m; aquifer tapped-190 to 296 m, 4 places, 83 m; Specific capacity-6 to 77 cum/day/m2

DMG Well No.3: Teku KMC, Kathmandu

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1279.0 m; Drilled Depth-302 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -none; aquifer tapped-170 to 297 m, 6 places, 101 m; Specific capacity-60 to 150 cum/day/m2.

DMG Well No.4: Hyumat Tole, Left bank of the Bisnumati River

Elevation of Top of the Wall-185.6 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -0 to 197; aquifer tapped-190 to 299 m, 6 places, 65 m; Specific capacity-10 to 43 cum/day/m2.

DMG Well No.5: Hyumat Tole, Left bank of the Bisnumati River

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1285.66 m; Drilled Depth-450 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -0 to 198; aquifer tapped-298 to 450 m, 4 places, 133 m; Specific capacity-9 to 20 cum/day/m2.

DMG Well No.6: Bhrikuti Mandap

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1293.5 m; Drilled Depth-577 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -20 to 173; aquifer tapped 176 to 550 m, 11 places, 214 m; Specific capacity 18 to 137 cum/day/m2, water level- 6 m above the ground surface, Weathered rock-549 to 570 m and Bed rock 570 to 577 m.

DMG Well No.7: Teku

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1278.18 m; Drilled Depth-359 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -14 to 74, 80 to 185; aquifer tapped-187 to 340 m, 5 places, 119 m; Specific capacity-9 to 20 cum/day/m2, Weathered rock-346 m and Bed rock 355 to 359 m.

DMG Well No.8: Sankhamul

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1284.55 m; Drilled Depth-455 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone-23 to 182; aquifer tapped-183 to 438 m, 3 places, 414 m; Specific capacity-46cum/day/m2.

DMG Well No.9: Koteshwor

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1298.55 m; Drilled Depth -300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -none; aquifer tapped-90 to 288 m, 14 places, 116 m.

DMG Well No.10: Tinkune

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1291.80 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone-32 to 106; aquifer tapped-110 to 295 m, 11 places, 99 m; water level-0.28 m above ground surface ; discharge-118 l/min.

DMG Well No.11: Herb Production and Processing Ltd., Manohara

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1294.68 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone 12 to 161; aquifer tapped-124 to 289 m, 11 places, 89 m; water level- 4.77 m above ground surface ; discharge-110 l/min; Transmisivity-3215 sq.m./day; Storage Coefficient -0.000139

DMG Well No.12: Tikathali, Lalitpur

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1300.75 m; Drilled Depth 301 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone 55 to 120; aquifer tapped-159 to 292 m, 7 places, 94 m; water level-11.77 m above ground surface ; Drawdown-12.45 m, Discharge- 120 l/min.

DMG Well No.13: Balkumari, Lalitpur

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1287.72 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone-89 to 152; aquifer tapped-163 to 268 m, 6 places, 70 m; water level- 1.9 m above ground surface; Drawdown-25 m, discharge-400 l/min.

DMG Well No.14: Imadole, Lalitpur

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1290.98 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -0 to 157; aquifer tapped-113 to 290 m, 7 places, 90 m; water level-2.06 m above ground surface: Drawdown-21 m, Discharge-336 l/min.

Choice between Landsat, Sentinel, and other satellite imagery

 

Satellite	Resolution (m)	Revisit Time	Bands	Best For
Landsat 8/9	15–30	16 days	11	Land cover change, geology
Sentinel-2	10–60	5 days	13	Agriculture, vegetation
MODIS	250–1000	Daily	36	Climate, global-scale
ASTER	15–90	16 days	14	Geology, elevation models
PlanetScope	3–5	Daily	4	Local monitoring
WorldView	0.31–2	Daily	8–16	High-precision mapping

Key Differences in Use:

• Resolution needed? → Sentinel-2 > Landsat for detail, WorldView for ultra-fine resolution.

• Geological mapping? → Landsat, ASTER, Sentinel-2 (for alteration zones, structural mapping).

• Monitoring frequency? → Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope are better for frequent monitoring.

• Historical data? → Landsat (archive since 1972) is unmatched.

GEOLOGICAL HISTRORY OF NEPAL HIMALAYA

  

Himalaya was formed by the collision of Indian Plate with Eurasian Plate around 55 million years ago.

The major events in the geological history of Himalaya are well recognizable in Nepalese sector. They are: Sedimentation in the Purana Sea, Pan African Diastrophism, Sedimentation in Paleothethys, Hercynian Diastrophism, Gondwana Sedimentation, Sedimentation in Neotethys, beginning of Himalayan Orogeny, formation of foreland basin and tremendous rise of Himalaya

A. Precambrian Events

•Deep and Shallow marine sedimentation in Purana Sea.

•Wide distribution of Precambrian rocks in LH and HH.

•Very early during Paleozoic, there was a very wide sea covering the vast territory of LH and the central and northern parts of India.

•Deep marine sedimentation in early phases and shallow marine deposition in later phases dominantly of carbonate succession with stromatolites.

B. Paleozoic Events

•It includes Pan African Diastrophism, Sedimentation in Paleothethys, breaking of sedimentation due to Hercynian Diastrophism and Early Gondwana Sedimentation

•Pan African Diastrophism: long cycle of Purana Sedimentation came to end towards the close of early Cambrian, sea was forced to recede form LH and sedimentation was interrupted. Intrusion of Cambrian Ordovician granites.

•Sedimentation in Paleothethys: Sedimentation was restarted in Tethyan Himalayan zone with abundant marine fossils of barchipods, corals graptolites etc.

•Hercynian Diastrophism: Interruption of sedimentation in TH (regional unconformity). Rifting and volcanism in LH and widespread glaciation.

•Early Gondwana Sedimentation: at the end of Paleozoic era along with some explosive volcanoes in rift valleys.

 

C. Mesozoic Events

•Sedimentation in Neotethys and continetal sedimentation of Late Gondwana.

•Sedimentation in Neotethys: Tibetan landmass in North was broken away due to rifting and opened new sea called Neotethys between India and Tibet.  Deep marine sedimentation in northern part excluding Nepal Himalaya.

•Sedimentation of Late Gondwana:  continental sedmentaion of Upper Gondwana unconfromably over Lower Gondwana.

D. Cenozoic Events

•Disappearance of Neotethys: due to plate collision emplacement and squeezing of sea floor rocks. Formation of elongated basins in North and south and rise of Himalaya.

•Formation of MCT about 21 Ma. Around 25 to 15 Ma  Granites and migmatites in TH and HH. Also development of Nappe and Klippe.

•Formation of MBT about 18 to 20 ma and Siwalik Basin.

•Formation of HFT, Dun Valley and Terai basin.

 

 

Now or Never: The Reform for Nepal Public Governance

 After the September 8 and 9 revolution, Nepal is on the midway between a new sunrise or the same dark era of old governance.

Many voice have been loud now for the complete reform of the executive and legislature body of the nation. Within this the complete reform of the government bodies, ministries and other administrative bodies of the government is the most. So this is the best time to implement reforms to reduce Nepal's current government expenditure.

The basic and foremost transformation is needed in Health, Education and Employment.

The current lower house parliament consists of 275 members. As parliament members mole is to formulate policies not meant to develop infrastructure. One representative per district is enough. So, 77 parliament members representing each district is enough for parliament. The national assembly or the Rastriya Sabha consists of 59 members. It can be restructured to include experts from various fields that cannot be represented in the parliament with 23 members making total size of legislature 100 only which will drastically cut off current size of 334.

Bureaucracy, the permanent government of a nation is the area which needs a complete reform with citizens oriented service in frontline rather than the old hectic and lengthy service. Single Window System, the complete output of any service from a single point where the initial application is summitted, is necessary in the public governance of Nepal. Every government office should reform their working motive with service delivery and transparency first. The government offices should be reorganized with simple and efficient organizational structure replacing the old bulkier structures. 

The current 22 ministries in the federal government are enormous size for the efficient federal mobilization. So, there is quick need of  reformation of the federal ministries and their scope of work by releasing respective works to province and local governments. About 14 ministries in federal government are sufficient to address the federal powers.  

Also there has been a debate over size of Nepalese Army But the current scenario after the revolution has shown the importance of military force in the nation. So, leaving the debate over the size of Nepal Army, there has been a need to reorganize and restructure the Nepal Police and APF into one unit.  These two units should me merged and made efficient with special forces within them for general public security and emergency securities.