The reconstruction of various road sections of the BP Highway damaged by the landslides in the last week of September is estimated to cost around Rs 9.66 billion.
The amount is estimated to be spent on reconstruction at various places along the BP Highway from Bhakunde to Nepalthok, the Division Road Office, Bhaktapur said.
Out of the 12-kilometer road section along the highway from Chaukidanda in Namobuddha of Kavrepalanchowk to Kaldhunga in Roshi Rural Municipality, eight kilometers of the road were completely damaged.
According to Suman Yogesh, Senior Divisional Engineer at the Road Division, the study has shown that three types of walls (RCC retaining, plum and gabion walls) should be installed on the road.
"Although the study shows that bridges should be built first in some places, a conclusion will be drawn after discussions on whether to build bridges or walls," he said.
According to Division Chief Yogesh, studies have shown that RCC walls should be installed in places where the river may flood, while plum and gabion walls should be installed in other places.
He further shared that they are waiting for the assurance of resources to reconstruct the damaged road.
"According to the study conducted to reconstruct the road section, the source of the cost has not been ensured. Once the source is ensured from the donor agency and the Government of Nepal, we will move toward the process of opening the contract," he said.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) of the Government of Japan had studied the reconstruction of the collapsed section of the highway in the second week of Kartik.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had discussed the reconstruction of the highway with Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Kikuta Yutaka on October 16.
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has already approached JICA for the reconstruction of the road section. The ministry is awaiting JICA’s report and response.
According to Keshav Kumar Sharma, Secretary at the Ministry, preparations are underway to demand the budget from the Disaster Management Fund of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
Similarly, preparations are underway to reconstruct the highway even through the concessional loans from donor agencies such as Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank. Secretary Sharma is preparing to proceed with the contract process by coming Nepali month Falgun.
Most of the road section from Chaukidanda in Kavrepalanchowk to Barkhekhola in Sindhuli under the BP Highway (Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bardibas) has been damaged.
Although the highway, which was blocked by floods and landslides, was brought into operation after two weeks, the office has been banning transport operations from 6 pm to 10 hours (night time) since since the last week of Nepali month Ashwin due to the risk of dry landslides. The highway, which is a short route connecting the capital Kathmandu with the mid-hills and eastern Nepal, has been put into operation as a one-way and two-way highway.
The construction of the BP Highway (Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bardibas 160 km road) was started in the fiscal year 2053/54 with the grant assistance of the Japanese government.
The construction was completed in sections on July 3, 2015, and was formally handed over to the Government of Nepal by the Japanese government. When JICA constructed the highway, the cost was Rs. 350 million per km.
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