सिंहदरबार संवाददाता
Kavrepalanchok. Repairs have been started on various sections of the BP Highway damaged by the floods and landslides that occurred in the second week of Asoj last year. The Division Road Office, Bhaktapur, has stated that repairs have been started along the highway from Chowkidanda in the damaged Namobuddha Municipality to Nepalthok, the border of Kavrepalanchok and Sindhuli.
In view of the diversion carried out in Bagar and the old condition of the road, work has been started to raise it by filling it with gravel by two to three meters and to raise it by filling it with mesh in difficult places, said the office chief, Senior Divisional Engineer Suman Yogesh. He informed that work has been started to widen and level the damaged road and to raise it by about three meters above the level of the Roshi River with gravel to avoid difficulties in traffic operation in the upcoming rainy season. According to him, out of the total 13 kilometers of damaged roads, eight kilometers will be repaired in the first phase, while the rest will be planned.
It is said that the department has mobilized equipment and manpower to repair the roads at 14 damaged places. “Since the government is also in the process of ensuring resources, the repair of BP Highway has been given priority before the permanent reconstruction of the road,” said Yogesh. According to him, the repair has been started with the aim of preventing traffic disruptions in the upcoming rainy season. Yogesh said, “If the repairs need to be expedited, work can be done even at night.” A week ago, a team including Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Dahal, Secretary of the Ministry Keshav Kumar Sharma, Director General of the Roads Department Ramhari Pokharel, and officials of the Bhaktapur Division conducted an on-site inspection.
During the inspection, Minister Dahal had said that preparations were being made to ensure resources for the repair and reconstruction of the highway. He also informed the press conference organized on Friday to inform about the achievements of the ministry in its 200 days that work was being done to ensure that the BP Highway, which was damaged by the floods of last Asoj, would continue to operate in the upcoming rainy season.
Minister Dahal said that although the reconstruction of the damaged highway was delayed due to lack of resources, temporary structures are being built so that the road can be operated even in the upcoming rainy season. He said that there are policy problems and lack of resources during the reconstruction as the old layout and shape of the highway have to be changed. Meanwhile, a study conducted by the office last month had shown that it would cost about 9.5 billion rupees more to reconstruct the damaged road. According to the initial study, it is estimated that it will cost 9.66 billion rupees to reconstruct various places along the BP Highway from Bhakunde to Nepalthok.
The study has shown that three types of walls (RCC retaining, plum and GAVIN) should be installed on the said road. ‘The study has shown that bridges should be built first in some places. However, a conclusion will be reached after further discussions on whether to build bridges or walls first,’ said Engineer Yogesh. According to him, RCC walls should be installed in places where rivers can enter, while studies have shown that plum walls and gabion walls should be installed in some places.
Yagesh said that a two-lane road with asphalt concrete will be constructed on the reconstructed road. Earlier, there was an ‘intermediate lane’ road. The construction of the BP Highway (Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bardibas 160 km road) was started from the fiscal year 2053/54 with the grant assistance of the Japanese government. The construction was completed in sections on 18 Ashar 2072 BS and was formally handed over to the Government of Nepal by the Japanese government.
At that time, the highway was constructed at a cost of 26 billion Japanese yen and one.1 billion (Japanese yen) from the Government of Nepal. The highway, which serves as a short route connecting the central capital Kathmandu with the mid-hills and eastern Nepal, has been reopened as a one-way and two-way road after being damaged by floods and landslides.
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