Nepal infrastructure needs upgrade

Nepal infrastructure needs upgrade

Nepal is a landlocked country and eighty three percent part of its territory is covered with hills and mountains. 

Graveled and earthen roads are still everywhere and the conditions of roads was miserable. Mostly villages were not connected with road network especially in uneven topography.  Rural and hilly areas had less road network in comparison to urban areas.  The national highways, its secondary roads and urban areas' roads were not good due to improper and irregular repair and maintenance. Hilly area roads were frequently damaged due to landslide and heavy rainfall. 

The poor infrastructure, geological conditions, failure of equipment and human error were the key factors leading to road accidents.

Nepal’s  infrastructure in water pollution and sanitation facilities, groundwater conservation, sewerage sludge management, and road construction are limited both in number and in quality.  Many parts of the Highways in Kathmandu are still broken down after the earthquake of 2015.  

The donkeys are still the main driving force for transport in the hilly villages but has created significant health issues.  

Politically, Nepal is traditionally more influenced by India and have more access roads to the south to India which politically detached from China in the North. 

Now, China is building roads and hydro plants in Langtang area and hopefully will quicken the process of upgrading infrastructures. 

Bill

The buses ran on long route were found violating norm of double drivers, Similarly, the vehicles which moved on graveled and earthen roads had been operating in poor condition.  The condition of black topped road was miserable and there was no proper and regular repair and maintenance. Graveled roads were in very poor condition, and in most of the roads, bridges were not constructed. Earthen roads were not suitable for traveling in rainy season. Majority of old and partially damaged vehicles were moving on graveled and earthen roads that had caused major accidents especially in hilly areas of Nepal. 

Frequent vehicle accident incidences had happened in hilly areas where vehicles plunged up to 500 meters below from road and number of fatalities/injuries were found in double digit. 

Among various modes of transportation, water transportation is not feasible because hilly rivers are not navigable. Air transportation is suitable but majority of Nepalese people cannot afford high air transportation cost. There is lack of airports and aircrafts. So neither government nor the private sector is capable to provide proper passenger, cargo and rescue services. Furthermore, climatic conditions also create hindrances in air transportation, especially in hilly and mountainous regions. Hence land transportation is relatively best option in present situation for the movement of people and cargo. Road, bridge and tunnel construction are tough, costly affair and time consuming especially in hilly and mountainous regions. This requires huge funds, high and advance technology, trained manpower, effective management, planning and governance, political stability and strong will power of government to speed up the infrastructural development.

A total of 29157 kilometers road had been constructed 2016/17. However, only 12305 kilometers (42.20 %) road was black topped, 6865 kilometers (23.55 %) road was graveled and rest 9987 kilometers (34.25 %) road was earthen /fair-weather. 

Heavy loaded trucks and containers damaged roads and bridges because such roads and bridges were capable to transport 15-20 ton load only whereas 40-50 ton loaded vehicles were found to be running there. Unauthorized extraction of sand and stone from river and illegal deforestation had adversely affected environment. As a result, landslides and flood damaged bridges and destroyed roads during rainy season. There was not responsible body to control these issues and to penalize the guilty party.

RIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL, VOL.: 31, NO.: 1 & 2, JUNE/DEC. 2017 193

SITUATION OF LAND TRANSPORTATION IN NEPAL

Sadan Kumar Bhagat*

https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/TUJ/article/download/25355/21224

Infrastructure development in Nepal is one of the poorest in South Asia and is incomparable to outer world. Till now, the infrastructure projects in Nepal are being handled by the government, but execution of any government-led project is adversely affected due to frequent changes in the government.  This directly affects the ongoing infrastructure projects in terms of execution and quality.

Nepal’s competitiveness is marred by its infrastructure limitations

https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/nepals-competitiveness-marred-infrastructure-limitations/

Feb 13, 2017 ·

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in its Final Report on August 2017 supported to develop on urban water and sanitation services in Kathmandu Valley.

The Kathmandu Valley has a total population of over 2.4 million spread in a total area of 716 km2  comprising 229 wards of 2 metropolitan cities and 16 municipalities. Since March 2017, the Valley is facing several environmental challenges due to high pollution pressure, inadequate water supply and sanitation facilities, and “inaction over the realised challenges”  which created additional pressures on demand and supply of drinking water and sanitation facilities, wastes and wastewater management.

In Kathmandu Valley, 72 % of households have access to piped water. Water demand is around 350 million MLD but KUKL only provides 90 million MLD in dry season and 150 million MLD in wet season. Insufficient water is met from private vendors (over 400 tankers), deep boring (about 500 deep wells used) and other sources.

Polluted water and poor sanitation has accelerated diarrhoea, dysenteries, typhoid and paratyphoid with occasional loss of life. Only one of the five wastewater treatment plants is functional. Few reed bed wastewater treatment facilities are in operation. Large volumes of domestic and industrial wastewaters are directly discharged into the Bagmati River system without any treatment.

The Constitution of Nepal (2015) stipulates access to drinking water and sanitation as a fundamental right of the citizens. In addition to national policies, legal measures and programmes, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and New Urban Agenda have emphasised the need of water and sanitation services in urban areas.

This Strategy Paper is based on extensive literature review, consultations and inputs from relevant experts.

SDG 6 (ensure availability and sustainable management

of water and sanitation for all) and SDG 11 (make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) of 2030 Agenda, and provide water and sanitation related guidance for the implementation of NUA.

ESCAP Strategy Paper

Improving Urban Water and Sanitation Services in

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

(An activity of the ESCAP in Addressing Water and Sanitation Issues)

https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/Strategy%20for%20Ktm%20Final%20report.pdf