Amlekhgunj-Lothar petroleum pipeline project work moves ahead rapidly

Construction activities are progressing swiftly for the Amlekhgunj-Lothar petroleum pipeline project, which holds national priority status. Workers are currently engaged in land filling and building the outer wall at Lothar, located within Rapti Municipality-1 of Chitwan district. Project planners indicate that the pipeline will bypass the main urban area of Hetauda, tracing a path through the river before re-emerging near the Rapti bridge for travelers approaching from Amlekhgunj. Authorities have set a target to finish the construction and bring the entire infrastructure into operation within a three-year timeframe. Once operational, the system is designed to transport an annual volume of 20 million tons of fuel. The storage facilities associated with the project will accommodate a total of 91,900 kiloliters of petroleum products, according to the available project specifications. The foundation for the undertaking was laid during an official visit to India by then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' in June 2080 BS. During that tour, an agreement was reached with his Indian counterpart to construct the petroleum pipeline alongside a fully equipped depot featuring storage facilities at Lothar.