KATHMANDU: The floods that occurred in Ashoj have prompted the Ministry of Finance to allocate approximately NPR 2 billion for the construction of permanent bridges. The floods had washed away several key bridges connecting various districts, necessitating their reconstruction. A total of NPR 1.901 billion has been allocated specifically for the permanent construction of these bridges.
According to Lalijan Khanal, Chief of the Bridge Division under the Department of Roads, procurement plans for the bridges have been submitted following the allocation of funds. “We must follow the procurement act and regulations before awarding contracts, but all processes will be expedited,” he stated. “Once completed, construction will begin immediately.”
Until permanent bridges are constructed, temporary Bailey bridges will be installed. “Even though Bailey bridges have been placed as a temporary measure, old obligations remain,” Khanal explained. “Based on that, we requested the allocation of funds.”
For the current fiscal year, the Bridge Division has requested NPR 262.1 million . According to data provided by the Department of Roads, NPR 350 million has been requested for the permanent construction of a bridge over the Sun Koshi River at Foksingtar, while NPR 20 million has been allocated for a Bailey bridge at the same location. Similarly, for the Larcha and Liping bridges in Sindupalchok, funds of NPR 250 million and NPR 100 million , respectively, have been approved. For a Bailey bridge over Hawa Khola, NPR 50 million has been requested, along with NPR 250 million for its permanent construction.
Under the Kantipur Rajmarg project, which connects Lalitpur and Makawanpur via Baguwa Khola, NPR 180 million has been allocated for permanent bridge construction, while NPR 60 million has been set aside for a Bailey bridge. Arjun Prasad Aryal, Under-Secretary and spokesperson for the Department of Roads, explained that some Bailey bridges will be removed during the monsoon season, while others will remain in place.
“The Bailey bridges at Foksingtar and Baguwa will be dismantled during the monsoon,” Aryal said. “Others will remain operational.” He added that shorter Bailey bridges will be dismantled after the monsoon and reinstalled once the rainy season ends. “For some bridges, the Design and Build process needs to be expedited. This means the same company will handle everything from design to construction,” he explained. “We have submitted guidelines for Design and Build to the Cabinet, including provisions for cost adjustments. Until the guidelines are approved, we will not move forward with those procedures.”
Aryal also emphasized that although bridge construction cannot begin before the monsoon, procurement processes will continue without delay. “Construction work does not happen during the monsoon,” he said. “Therefore, we will complete all pre-monsoon tender processes so that construction can begin immediately afterward without issues.”
The floods in Ashoj caused significant damage to road infrastructure as well. The Ministry of Finance has already allocated NPR 18.882 billion for road and bridge repairs. The Department of Roads aims to manage tenders for all roads by the end of Falgun.
To achieve this, procurement plans for all roads have been submitted, according to the department. Some district offices have already sent their plans, while others are in the process of doing so, Aryal confirmed.
“We have internally instructed all road projects to submit procurement plans under one framework,” Aryal said. “Once completed, we aim to finalize tenders for all roads by the end of Falgun.” Initial stages of the tender process have already begun. The BP Rajmarg (Highway) suffered the most damage due to the floods. It will be divided into multiple sections for reconstruction. Approximately NPR 1.88 billion is required for road and bridge repairs in the current fiscal year.
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had requested funds for the permanent construction and maintenance of 10 highways, 13 bridges, and 3 alternative roads . Specifically, NPR 15.831 billion was requested for highways, NPR 1.901 billion for bridges, and NPR 1.15 billion for alternative roads. The largest allocation, NPR 8.5 billion , was requested for the BP Rajmarg.
Key Points:
NPR 2 billion allocated for permanent bridge construction following flood damage.
NPR 1.901 billion earmarked for rebuilding bridges destroyed by floods.
Temporary Bailey bridges will be installed until permanent structures are built.
Tenders for road and bridge projects aim to be finalized by the end of Falgun.
BP Rajmarg suffered the most damage, with NPR 8.5 billion requested for repairs.
Procurement processes will continue during the monsoon, with construction starting immediately afterward.