Prequalification invited in September, 2001 for two tunnel contracts, one for contractors from Norway, Sweden and Nepal, and the other for international bidding as part of the 27 km drinking water tunnel from the Melamchi River in Sindhupalchowk district to northeast Kathmandu. Shortlist of contractors by February, 2002. Construction to begin from April, 2002 and completion in 2006. Swedish International Development Agency to donate NPR1.96 billion. Total project cost estimated at US$464 million. Asian Development Bank and the Nepal government are financing about a quarter of the cost each. Other financiers include Norway's development agency NORAD, and the Nordic Development Fund. Detail design by Norplan. Visit www.norplan.com 47/01.Invitation for prequalification, deadline 2nd May, 2008 for the construction and completion of headworks and tunnel construction (contract MDS/DT/01). The main scope of works include construction of a diversion tunnel, approximately 26.3 km long with cross section between 12 to 20 square metres, to be excavated by drill and blast method, construction of headworks intake structures and access roads, and hydraulic steelworks. Contact Melamchi Water Supply Development Board, Executive Director, Devkota Road, Baneswor, Kathmandu, Nepal, Tel. +977 14475303, fax +977 14468962, e-mail procurement@melamchiwater.org. Visit www.melamchiwater.org/busi_opp.htm 16/08.Pöyry together with Hifab International and its Nepalese partner Multi Disciplinary Consultants has been awarded a consultancy contract by the Melamchi Water Supply Development Board, comprising design and construction supervision services for the headworks and a 26.3 km-long water diversion tunnel. Pöyry's share of the contract value is about EUR7 million. The tunnel will divert 170 million litres of water daily from the Melamchi river to the Kathmandu valley to ease chronic water shortages in that area. Construction of the water tunnel will start by beginning of 2009 and should be completed by 2013-14. Visit www.poyry.com, www.hifab.se, www.multinepal.com/mdc/home.php and www.melamchiwater.org 30/08.