Kathmandu- Last year's monsoon was devastating, with severe flooding and landslides prompting hundreds of deaths and widespread travel disruptions. 

This year, the government, to mitigate risks and improve road resilience, has intensified its preparations.

According to Keshav Kumar Sharma, secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry and DoR have arranged for heavy machinery to be deployed within one hour to clear road obstructions and resume vehicle operations within four hours.

Prabhat Kumar Jha, deputy director general and spokesperson for the DoR, clarified that while road maintenance equipment was used in previous years, this year has seen a significant increase in the number of deployments.

The DoR is deploying equipment at 227 locations from eight Heavy Equipment Departments, stretching from Ilam in the east to Baitadi in the west.

Citing extensive damage to main highways from last year's floods, the department anticipates significant road blockages this year.

To ensure swift clearance, spokesperson Jha stated that the DoR plans to supplement its own equipment by renting additional machinery from construction companies as needed.

Currently, the DoR has a total of 227 units of equipment distributed among its division offices:

Itahari: 42 units
Janakpur: 33 units
Hetauda: 25 units
Kathmandu: 53 units
Pokhara: 35 units
Butwal: 24 units
Nepalgunj: 33 units
Godavari (Kailali): 32 units

Spokesperson Jha emphasized the department's increased preparedness this year, adding, 'The number of equipment increases every year. Last year, more highways were damaged, so we have increased our preparations this year."

He added that the priority is to keep roads operational, even if it means renting equipment.

Of the 227 units of equipment, 54 are ready for immediate use, while 134 are prepared for deployment as needed. This equipment includes dozer trucks, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, excavator trucks, and excavator wheels, which are frequently used for road clearance.

A budget exceeding Rs 120 million has been allocated for monsoon road clearance, primarily covering fuel and operational costs.

Spokesperson Jha assured that additional funds would be secured if necessary for road maintenance during the monsoon, stating, 'If it is insufficient, there is no problem in managing the budget again.'

The department has identified the BP Highway, the Daunne area of the East-West Highway, and the Koshi Highway as areas with a higher likelihood of disruptions, and equipment has been focused in these locations accordingly.

Stock of Bailey Bridges

The Bridges Division, under the Roads Department, currently holds a stock of 15 Bailey Bridges, each 50 meters in length.According to Division Chief Lalijan Khanal, these bridges are crucial for deployment when motorable bridges on national highways are damaged by floods or when needed on other highways.

Khanal informed that acquiring additional bridges before this monsoon is not feasible due to the month-long procurement process.

However, the division aims to add more Bailey Bridges by the end of the fiscal year 2082/83.