Govt expedites reconstruction of Rasuwagadhi road connection in new alignment

KATHMANDU, Sept 1: The government has expedited reconstruction of the road connecting Rasuwagadhi in a new alignment.

According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT), it has started necessary preparations to review the design of the road connecting Rasuwagadhi, which is the major land route-based point with China. The MoPIT has said about 55 kilometers of the road, along with the connectivity to the Rasuwagadhi border were destroyed by the Wednesday floods.

Shubanjan Dahal, assistant spokesperson of the Department of Roads (DoR), informed that internal discussions have been started to reconstruct the road using a new route, saying that the current design and geographical conditions of the road increase the risk at any time. According to him, they called for tender for the first phase of connecting the road network on Sunday. “During the reconstruction, there were initial discussions to connect the road network from a different location than the current one.”

Meanwhile, the MoPIT is preparing to conduct a technical study on whether the old design adopted during the construction of the road can meet the current needs. As per the ministry, the design will be reviewed based on the geographical structure, road width, drainage, bridges and culverts, landslide control and easy movement of goods vehicles.

The MoPIT has concluded that there has been a lot of human loss and material damage due to the road structure. Due to this reason, technicians have started a feasibility study to build connectivity in the areas that are situated at notable elevation from the river bank.

Citing the growing bilateral trade between Nepal and China, and recurring floods in the region, the government is said to have been considering redesigning of the road segment connecting to Rasuwagadhi border even before the floods hit the area last week. In particular, there were regular problems on the road connecting the border due to the narrow road, the risk of landslides, and the increasing pressure of cargo vehicles.

Since the Rasuwagadhi border crossing is an important part of Nepal's northern trade infrastructure, it seems that road improvements should not be limited to transportation alone, but should be carried out by linking it to trade, tourism and border infrastructure, said experts. It is expected that trade movement with China will be further facilitated if the road capacity is expanded and risks are reduced.

According to records with the DoR, the flood has caused damage to roads and bridges alone worth more than 25 billion. A total of 55 kilometers of roads along with 35 concrete bridges have been washed away.