SATV June 26, KATHMANDU: With the advent of the monsoon season, a significant number of major roadways across the country have faced the age-old problem of disruptions in vehicular movement due to disaster incidents.
According to the data maintained by the Department of Roads (DoR), there have been 104 instances of disruptions in vehicular movements across the country since the onset of monsoon on May 29. Of the 104 disruptions, government authorities have succeeded in reopening the roads in 103 sections, including 54 road sections currently operating one-way. As many as 49 of the affected road sections are currently operating full-fledged.
Only the disruption of vehicular movement at Binayi River in Nawalpur, a part of the Mahendra (East-West) Highway currently remains completely disrupted. According to the Deputy Director General of the DoR Prabhat K Jha, a new bridge over Binayi River is currently being constructed with the expectation of opening it by July 2.
“It takes 28 days for the newly constructed bridge to become operational,” Jha told Republica, “The 28 days end on July 1 so the road will be operational by July 2.”
Deputy Director General Jha told Republica that the department has not changed its standard protocols in dealing with roadway disruptions, rather increased its strengths in road management by using new equipment for such instances and improving coordination with local authorities.
“We have been improving coordination with local authorities,” Jha said, “If a section of a highway had four equipment to clear the road during last monsoon and we realized the need for additional equipment, and have increased the number of such equipment.”
The department has dispatched a total of 277 heavy equipment across the country under its Equipment Development Plan for road disruptions during the monsoon season. Of the 277 equipment, 188 are specialized equipment while 89 are other types of equipment. As many as 154 of the equipment are deployed at sites while the remaining 123 are kept standby at various regional offices of the department. As many as 71 of the heavy machinery are Wheel Loaders while 63 are Backhoe Loaders.
Experts slam sub-par preparedness
Experts in the infrastructure development sector have criticized the lack of preparedness on part of the government authorities in dealing with monsoon-induced problems. They have blamed negligence towards road construction during the dry season, lack of inter-agency coordination for swift construction and undue political influence for all the mess.
Former Director General of the DoR Arjun Jung Thapa told Republica that the government authorities’ preparedness for the monsoon-induced roadway disruptions has been abysmal. Taking a reference of the bridge over Binayi river, Thapa said that the construction works for the bridge should have started a few months earlier in order to have it open during the monsoon season.
“The bridge over Binayi river collapsed in January and we are approaching July now,” Thapa said, “If the construction works had been initiated on time and the construction materials were imported from India swiftly, the bridge could have been operational by now.” He added that the authorities should have formulated other alternatives if the construction of the bridge had stagnated.
Thapa pointed out the role of the finance ministry is affecting the construction process. “It is not apparent to the public but the finance ministry often creates unnecessary obstacles in construction and maintenance of roads at each step,” Thapa informed Republica, “For example, a new contractor should have been hired to complete the Dhulikhel-Dolalghat road section but the finance ministry refrains from moving forward with the issuance of a tender.”
Furthermore, Thapa stated that political influence in haphazard construction without technical expertise also heaps up problems in Nepal’s roadways during the monsoon. “In Nepal’s context, Bailey bridges are suitable only up to 48 meters in length but a Bailey bridge was installed in Hewakhola, which is around 70 meters in length, due to political influence,” he said, “In the end, the bridge collapsed.”
