Surkhet, Nov. 15 -- The work to expand the 132 kV electricity transmission line in Karnali has remained stalled for nearly five and a half years. Various long-standing issues such as disputes over compensation, tower construction and felling of trees have delayed the Kohalpur-Surkhet transmission line expansion for years.

As a result, all districts in Karnali Province have faced problems of low voltage and irregular power supply. In Humla, where the central transmission line has not reached, the district headquarters and nearby villages have been without electricity for six days after a small hydropower project stopped functioning.

In July 2020, an Indian company, RS Infraprojects Pvt Ltd, won the contract to construct the 132 kV transm...