By PTI

KATHMANDU: An Indian contractor company will install underground electric cables in Kathmandu to minimise the risk of electrocution and to beautify the city.

KP Industries Ltd will undertake the project worth Rs 6.60 billion with a deadline of 30 months from its initiation.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to install the underground power lines in Kathmandu. In the first phase of the project, underground cables would replace overhead power line in grids overseen by Majarajgunj Distribution Centre and the Ratnapark Distribution Centre, the NEA officials said.

Overhead electricity cables and telecommunications lines have made the streets ugly and increased the risk of untoward incidents, and the project aims to resolve such issues, said NEA Maharajgunj Project Chief Abhishek Adhikari.

In June 2017, NEA had said it would place all physical infrastructure of areas that fall under Maharajgunj and Ratnapark distribution centres underground within two years as a pilot project.

NEA is implementing the project with funding from Asian Development Bank's soft loan assistance worth USD 150 million under Power Extension and Distribution Capacity Increment Project.