Rs 1.5b allocated to tackle monsoon induced disasters

The Ministry of Finance(MoF) has sanctioned Rs 1.5 billion to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) to enhance capacity to tackle withmonsoon induced road-related disaster s and completion of the ongoing highway projects.

The MoPIT has said the budget will be partially used in procurement of heavy equi

pments needed to clear landslide debris, considering the possibility of monsoon -induced landslides along motorways in the earthquake-affected districts and completion of ongoing road construction projects.

The Finance Ministry has allocated Rs 550 million to purchase heavy machines such as excavator, bulldozer, loader, tipper, trailer and roller. The MoPIT plans to procure 30 heavy equipments before the monsoon starts. It also hopes to hire some other heavy equipment from big companies in case of emergency.

Tulsi Sitaula, MoPIT secretary, said his ministry had demanded Rs 2 billion from the MoF. The rest of the budget will be spent on construction of bridges while some other will also be used in construction of Mid-Hill highway project.

"The procurement process for the heavy equipments has begun. It will take some more weeks to get the heavy machines," said Sitaula. The MoPIT has decided to purchase the equipments through the fast-track processes as there is dearth of such heavy machines in case of emergency. Despite frequent obstructions of motorways during monsoon , there are only 30 heavy equipments with the ministry.

The Department of Roads has also fast-tracked the process to procure additional bailey bridges for emergency use. Some of around 400 bridges within 100 kilometres radius of the epicenter of the April 25 earthquake are said to have sustained critical damage. DoR officials suspect that some of these bridges might be useless during the monsoon season.

"We already have some bridges in stock, while a process is under way to procure few others," said Madhav Kumar Karki, director general at the DoR. The road department has six 300-metre Bailey bridges in disposition now. It is going to purchase an additional 400-metre bridge before monsoon .

MoPIT officials are also working to increase standby human and technical resources in the earthquake-affected districts, including Gorkha, Sindhupalchok, Kavre, Dhading, Nuwakot, Dolakha and Ramechhap.

Though very little damage was witnessed on public infrastructure during the April 25 earthquake, experts suspect the monsoon could cause huge damage on roads and bridges.

Various bodies, including government-owned Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention, have warned of the possibility of large-scale landslides in areas devastated by earthquake.