Brief of Rural Infrastructures Projects

PUNIMA: UK Support for Post-Earthquake Recovery in Nepal

PURNIMA is implemented with objective to long-term positive change in the lives of people in earthquake affected region of April 2015 Gorkha Earthquake. The program covers 22 municipalities (Bekogadi Urban Municipality (in Nuwakot) and 21 rural municipalities (Thakre, Galchhi, Jwalamukhi, Benighat, Gajuri, Khaniyabas and Gangajamuna in Dhading district; Shivapuri, Dupcheshwor, Tadi, Myaghang, Kispang, and Surygadi in Nuwakot district; Uttargaya and Naukunda in Rasuwa district; and Ajirkot, Chumnubri, Dharche, Sahid Lakhan, Siranchowk and Gandaki in Gorkha district) in four of the worst-affected districts (Dhading, Gorkha, Nuwakot and Rasuwa) in Province 3 (Bagmati Province) and Province 4 (Gandaki Province) of Nepal. The program cost is £40 million. The program included five Output Areas:

Output Area 1 - Technical Assistance – planning and budgeting, sectoral planning, capacity building for studies, design and supervision, and GIS and Data management at Municipality level.
Output Area 2 - Reconstruction of rural/urban infrastructure, including water supply, foot trails, bridges, and schools.
Output Area 3 - Private Sector Development – interventions to address constraints to the private sector in relation to construction, including access to finance, innovation, and skills.
Output Area 4 – Challenge fund for vulnerability window, transformation window- a Challenge fund to ‘leave no-one behind’ in the reconstruction effort, and to restore and improve livelihood, food security and access to services (including housing grants and related support services) for the most vulnerable.
Output Area 5 – Monitoring, evaluation, and learning

Rural Access Program 2 (RAP 2)

The Rural Access Programme (RAP) is a UK Government-funded poverty alleviation programme to improve the livelihoods of the poor and disadvantaged and marginalized group in the programme districts (Terahthum, Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur, Khotang, Achham, Dailekh and Doti) through the improvement of access to valued services and goods. RAP also supports construction of supplementary infrastructure (water supply, health and education facilities, markets etc.) selected by communities along road corridors and provide funding for maintenance. It included capacity building and institutional support to develop local government capacity and benchmark district performance and support the harmonization of donor support into a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp). Green road approach followed in design and construction of roads. The scope of services comprised of survey, design, IEE studies, project preparation, procurements of works and services, construction supervision, program management, monitoring and evaluation to achieve physical rural access improvements comprising completion of 150 km rural roads.The roads include Dipayal- Patihalane Road (22.3 km) km; Rajpur-Chamara-Chautara (31.1km); Timilsen-Ramasoshan (22.9 km); Kamal Bazar- Jhulaghar (15.3 km); Ramaghat-Singhasain (12 km); Desigade-Mahabu-(20.5 km); Chupra-Meheltoli (14.5 km); Diktel-Khotang Bazar (50 km); Bhojpur- Ghodetar (35 km); Hile Bhanjyang-Dingla (35km); Chainpur- Barahbise (36.2 km); Myanglung-Sankaranti (57 km). Program Cost is £35 million.

Road Situation Analysis of Rural Community Infrastructure Works (RCIW) Roads for Completion and Maintenance, Package B

The study comprised road situation analysis of 16 RCIW roads, total 343 km (in Pyuthan, Salyan, Dailekha, Jajarkot, Kalikot, Jumla, Mugu, Dolpa and Humla districts) and identification of requirements for completion to maximum vehicle pliability of roads till June 2007, suggestions for maintenance system, review and suggestion for modification of Green Road Concept, 1999. GEOCE served as the Lead Consultant among 3 consulting firms that took the studies of about 1,158 km RCIW Program roads in 22 districts.

Support to Ministry of Physical Planning and Works Program

The program comprised upgrading of about 90 km roads to all weather feeder roads as per DOR standards; related livelihood improvements for poor people in these road corridors through involvement in road works. The project works were executed using labour-based, environment friendly and participatory approach for simple road works such as earthworks and small structures. Local contractors were involved for specific construction works such as pavement upgrading and major structures. The approximate cost of the project for feeder road upgrading and related livelihoods promotion program was US$ 11.5 million. The scope of services include Survey, design, bid documents preparation, procurement of works and goods, construction supervision and project management of Bhalubang-Pyuthan (64 km) and Basantpur-Myaglung (26 km) feeder roads upgrading. The road works comprised spot improvement of road geometry, drainage improvement, pavement (partly Otta seal and premix and partly gravel in case of Basantpur-Myaglung road and partly gravel in case of Bhalubang-Pyuthan) and slope stabilization. Activities related to social mobilization for road construction/upgrading and implementation of livelihoods promotion programs.

Rural Infrastructure Development Project, Construction Supervision of and Social Mobilization for Outstanding Civil Works (ADB Loan No 1450-NEP (SF)

The primary objective of the project was to reduce poverty among the rural population in the hill region by improving access of the rural population to opportunities, resources and services. The project comprised three components: construction of some 260 km rural roads (in Kavre, Tanahun, and Baglung districts) using labour-based, environment-friendly and participatory (LEP) approach, small scale multi-purpose community buildings in about 90 villages to enhance village-level community development, and awareness campaigns on LEP approach in road construction, self-help initiative, women's active participation, environmental protection. Major scope of work was categorized into (i) Technical tasks comprising survey, design review/design and construction supervision of road works of (Khopasi-Taldhunga, 65 km; Bhimad-Chihandanda-Deorali-Baidi, 38 km; Bhimad-Dhakardi-Bhirkot, 35 km; Belbhanjyang-Deorali, 13 km; Baglung-Kusmishera, 21 km and Baglung-Burtibang, 90 km); and (ii) Social mobilization tasks comprising activities to enhance genuine people's participation, formation of local labor groups, ensure fair working condition to the laborers and transparent wage payment, institutional development of road user committees, training and awareness raising programs. Total cost of project was about US$ 11.2 million. The construction cost of outstanding civil works was about US$ 2.52 million.

District Roads Support Program, Phase II (Implementation Phase)

District Road Support Program (DRSP) funded by Swiss Development Cooperation, aims to contribute to participatory planning, formulation, and implementation of district roads management; development of appropriate standards, work methods and management systems for local resource-based, low-cost, environment friendly road work in affordable manner and to strengthen the district level technical and managerial capability to plan, manage, implement and maintain road works. The scope of services include technical assistance to Program districts (Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Sindhuli and Okhaldhunga) in survey, design and construction supervision of maintenance and rehabilitation of existing about 77 km and construction of 56 km rural roads based on LEP approach; to strengthen managerial and technical capacity in district level; project management support; and strengthening of local small-scale contractors to manage and carry out road works.

Rural Access Program, Implementation Phase (CNTR 98 6604, Nepal)

The Program (RAP) objective was to improve the livelihoods of the poor and disadvantaged in the 6 hill districts (Sangkhuwasabha, Bhojpur, Khotang, Achham, Dailekha and Doti) through the improvement of access to valued services and goods. The programme comprised construction of 90 km feeder and some 250 km of district roads (Bhojpur-Chyandanda, Bhojpur Airport-Bhojpur, Diktel-Chyandanda, Myaglung-Ishibu-Sankranti Bazar, Chainpur-Nundhaki and Bhyangkhola-Chhyankuti) and upgrading of trails and footbridges along these roads. To ensure a truly sustainable impact on the poor and disadvantaged, the building of rural roads in Nepal must be accompanied by a series of complementary interventions. 'Improved Physical Access' must lead to real improvements in rural access and contribute to livelihood sustainability, particularly where need is greatest. Hence RAP aimed to provide physical improvement (mainly roads), both for access by service providers and the poor and complementary activities to build capacity in response to local circumstances, needs and priorities. The Program cost was US$66 million. The scope of services comprised of survey, design, IEE studies, project preparation, procurements of works and services, construction supervision, program management, monitoring and evaluation together with and social aspects through enhancing and protection interventions which form 20% of the project scope. The services also included Capacity Development and Institutional Strengthening on rural access policy, rural accessibility planning both at central and district levels.

Rural Access Program, Program Design Phase [CNTR 98 6604, Nepal]

Preparation of the Program aimed to improve the access of the people to the goods and services through the provision of rural transport infrastructure, which is affordable and can be maintained using local resources in six hill districts (Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur, Khotang, Achham, Dailekh and Doti districts. Road is the biggest component of the Program and include feeder (about 90 km) and some 500 km of district roads in 5 districts based on green road approach. The Program is based on bottom-up planning to harness local participation and promote local self-governance. It includes components for socio-economic development interventions and institutional building of district and central level institutions involved in the implementation of Program that cost about US $ 48 M.

District Roads Support Program, Phase I (Build Up Phase)

The Program aimed to contribute to participatory planning, formulation and implementation of district roads management; development of appropriate standards, work methods and management systems for local resource- based, low-cost, environment friendly road work and to strengthen district level technical and managerial capability to plan, manage, implement and maintain road works in six districts (Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Sindhuli and Okhaldhunga). The scope of services include technical assistance to DDCs in preparing district transport plans; training and institutional development/ capacity building in rural roads; design of some 70 km roads.

Jayaramghat-Halesi-Diktel Environmental- Friendly Road, Upper Sagarmatha Agricultural Development Project [ADB Loan No. 1114-NEP (SF)]

Upper Sagarmatha Agricultural Development Project (USADP) was covered Khotang, Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbu districts in eastern region. One of the major components of the project was to develop hill transport infrastructure comprising of rural roads, trails and suspension bridges. Jayaramghat-Halesi-Diktel Environment-Friendly Road (JDEFR) is the major of two roads built by USADP. The construction of JDEFR provided fair weather road connectivity to Diktel, the district headquarters of Khotang from Katari - Okhaldhunga Road. It will be linked with Katari – Okhaldhunga Road at Hilepani, some 10 km west of Dudh Koshi River by another road under construction by DDC, Khotang. It is 82.5 km long (including 10.5 km link road to Lamidanda airport). GEOCE carried out design of whole road and construction supervision of 47 km road and Langur Khola bridge. The design and construction of the road was carried out based on labour-based and environment-friendly approach. Intensive use of bio-engineering measures was made in stabilization of road slopes, gullies and tipping sites. The road construction was carried out by involving local people from 14 VDCs resident along the road alignment. Approximate construction cost of the road was NRs 200 million.

Pilot Labour-based District Road Rehabilitation and Maintenance [IDA Credit No 2578-NEP]

The project was for rehabilitation and maintenance of 153 km district and feeder roads in four pilot districts (Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu and Syangja) and training to local small contractors, Department of Roads and District Development Committee staff in labour based road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance. The scope of services were design and construction supervision of maintenance and rehabilitation of project roads comprising Bhairahawa - Parasi (22 km), Bardhaghat - Pratappur (18 km), Manigram - Rohini (7 km), Parasi - Jamuniya (14 km), Lumbini - Taulihawa (16 km), Krishnanagar - Chhotibhagwanpur (19 km), Gorusinge - Pattharkot (11 km) and Bahadurgunj - Taulihawa (22 km), Mirdi-Chapakot (8 km) and Naudanda - Karkineta (16 km).