PAHUNCHPAHUNCH

In this Issue

Bungee Jumpingfrom a Suspended

Bridge: TheUltimate

Adrenaline Rush!

Trail bridges andTourism in ACAP

Region

Dodhara-ChadaniBridge becomes atourist destination,

but lackspreservation

Locals in Karnaliare compelled to

continue riskyjourneys

Piloting of a LongSpan Trail Bridge

through the“CommunityApproach”

Ap

ril -

Ju

ne 2

00

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Editorial

Publisher : Nepal Trail Bridge Forum · Editorial team: Rudra Sapkota, Saroj Upadhayay, Jan S. RoukemaAddress : Pulchowk, Lalitpur, Nepal

Phone :00977-1-5521054/5523810 · Fax : 00977-1-5526829Post Box : 81 District Post Office, Lalitpur · Email : pahunch@nepaltrailbridgeforum.org

(Opinion expressed in the articals of this bulletin are the writers. NTBF will not be held responsible).

Trail Bridges andTourism

Breathtaking mountains, diverse flora andfauna and varied ethnic diversity make Nepalthe ultimate trekkers’ destination in the world. Every year, thousands of tourists come to thecountry to explore remote trails and to enjoythe natural beauty and rich cultural diversitythat the local villages have to offer. Along thesetrails and tracks, one invariably has to cross trailbridges to pass over streams and rivers thatcrisscross themajority oftrekking routes.

For manytourists, these trailbridges, add to thelocal flavor andsense of adventurethat they havecome to the regionto explore. But forothers, the bridgesare a starkreminder of the difficulties that locals face intheir mobility needs. Many realize thesignificance that they have on the economic,social and cultural development of the region;including the dependence of the tourism sector. In this fifth issue of PAHUNCH, the NTBFhas therefore decided to bring focus upon theimportance of trail bridges on tourism. It alsoseeks to highlight, the potential of trail bridges,through the connectivity that they provide, tocontribute towards the growth and promotion

of tourism in remote areas of the country. Among the many articles in this issue, one of

particular interest - is on the privatelyconstructed bridge across the Bhote-Kosi,which is used for Bungee Jumping. At 500 ft(160 m) drop, it is the longest free-fall jump inthe world, attracting hundreds of thrill seekersever since it first came into operation. Similarly, the ACAP (Annapurna Conservation

Area Project) hasnumerous bridgeswhich areinvaluable forconnecting routesand trails in theregion.

Since, itsinception in 2005,the NTBF hasbeen instrumentalin bringing suchrelevant trail

bridge issues to the forefront of the generalpublic. However, due to the lack of funds, theForum is currently facing a serious threat to itssurvival. Securing funds is essential for itsviability. But, unfortunately, except a few modestdonations, nothing has been forth coming.

If the NTBF is to continue representing thevoices of the poor then all those concerned;members, stakeholders and donors; need to beaware of this reality and help contribute towardsthe viability of the Forum and its objectives.

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Bungee Jumping from a SuspendedBridge: The Ultimate Adrenaline Rush!

he thrill of a life time”- is howJessica, a tourist from the

United States describes her feelingsafter bungee jumping off the 160m highsuspended bridge in Sindupalchowk. Afeeling echoed by Premraj fromMadras, who adds “…though its scaryat first, once you jump the feeling istotally indescribable…”

Like Jessica and Premraj, hundredsof other tourists in search of theultimate adrenaline rush make theirway up to the Last Resort, whichoperates the jump, to leap from thehighest free-fall in the world.

Located over the Bhote Kosi river,100 km North-East of Kathmandu andapproximately 15 km West of theTatopani Border between Nepal andChina, the jumping site has beenattracting over 2,000 jumpers every

year. Since it began operations in 1998,over 14,000 people have alreadyjumped from the 166m long suspendedbridge, which was specifically built forthe bungee jumping purpose.

According to the organizers, whilethe majority of the jumpers (39%) comefrom Western European countries andIsrael (31%); Nepalese youths alsomake up a significant 21% of the totaljumpers. A figure, which has steadilyincreased over the past two years,especially after the start of the peaceprocess.

Not everyone is however allowed tojump. Restrictions are imposed againstpregnant women and those who haveundergone recent operations. Similarly,everyone must be over 13 years of ageand must weigh in between 40 – 120kgs.

“Tä By Rewati Sapkota

In Bhotekoshi, Sindhupalchok

As not only do theyattract thousands oftourists every year,but also are able to

provideinternational

standards of safetyand accommodation

with the benefitsbeing shared with

the localcommunities.

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The sport itself is believed to havebeen developed from the indigenouspractice of “Land diving” among thePentecost Island tribes of Vanuatu. Thisis a small nation made up of islandchains in the Pacific Ocean, whereyoung men jump from woodenplatforms with vines attached to theirankles as a test of their courage andentry into adulthood. Thecommercialization of the sport wasstarted in the 1980s by A J Hackett, aNew Zealander, who substituted thevine ropes with large elastic cords andopened the first commercial jumpingsite in New Zealand.

Eventually, this sport entered Nepal,when a jumping site was constructed in1998. The suspended bridge wasspecifically designed for bungeejumping purposes by New ZealandEngineers and was constructed by theRadha Engineering Company at abudget of NRs 5.7 million rupees. Witha 4X safety factor, the bridge has beenmade up to international safety standardswith a loading capacity of 4.5 tones.

Presently, the jumping operations arerun by two Nepalese bungee masters,Prakash Pradhan and ShaileshChaudary, who themselves receivedtheir training from Australian bungeejumping masters. They received theircertificates only after supervising morethan 2000 safe jumps each.

According to Bishnu Neupane,owner and organizer of the Last Resort,the initial investment in the project hasmore than paid for itself. He mentionsthat while the initial site for the jumpwas being surveyed, they had decidedupon the present location, in betweenthe Panglang (Listi VDC) andTyangthali (Marmin VDC) because ofexisting transport facility nearKathmandu and Tibet as well as thedesire to improve the lives of the localcommunities.

As presently, local villagers make upthe majority of the resort staff. Inaddition, safer and more convenientriver crossings provided by thesuspended bridge has more than helpedthe villagers improve their mobility

needs. With villagers from cross theBhote Kosi river now easily able toaccess the highway to go to eitherTatopani or Kathmandu. Shops andrestaurants have also opened up nearthe jumping site to cater to the touristsas well as on lookers who watch thejumps from the nearby areas.

According to Mr Nuepane thesuccess of the Last Resort should betaken as a good example of howtourism in Nepal can be developed. Asnot only do they attract thousands oftourists every year, but also are able toprovide international standards ofsafety and accommodation with thebenefits being shared with the localcommunities. He also points out thatdue to the natural topography of thecountry there are many other potentialbungee jumping sites in Nepal thatcould be operated through suspendedbridges. And with the changes that aretaking place in Nepal right now, he ishopeful that as soon as there is politicalstability, he may be able to expand thesport in other areas of the country. �

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Tourism in ACAPIt was 26 May 2008, when this scribe

encountered a French couple, Pascaland Mary, who were climbing towardsGhorepani from Birethanti in KaskiDistrict. The couple who were on theirhoneymoon had been trekking alongthe ACAP (Annapurna ConservationArea Project) region for the past coupleof days. An experience which theydescribed as being “exciting andadventurous”.

The region is also one of the mostscenically beautiful parts of the country,where one can view excellent habitatsfor diverse flora and fauna along withthe cultural diversity of the localcommunities.

The conservation area is itself spreadacross 7,629 sq. km over 55 VDCs(Village Development Committees),

making it the largest protected area inNepal. Established in 1986, the projectincludes seven areas– Ghandruck,Lwang, Sikles, Bhujung, Mang,Jomsoom and Lomangthang. Eacharea has its own unique culturalheritage and attraction. For example,the people of the Loba communitymostly resides in Lomangthang, whichis known for its rich biodiversity.Similarly, in Ghandruk, there are mixedpopulations of Gurungs, Magars,Chhetrys and Brahmins who are knownfor their expertise in tourismmanagement. Whereas in Sickes, whichlies in Kaski district, the mainprofession of the locals is in integratedagricultural activities.

Every year, it is estimated that amongthe total tourist arrivals into the country,sixty percent travel to ACAP. Just

Trail bridges and Tourismin ACAP Region

ä By Rewati Sapkota

In Birethanti, Kaski

The region is alsoone of the most

scenically beautifulparts of the country,where one can view

excellent habitats fordiverse flora and

fauna along with thecultural diversity of

the localcommunities.

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within the period between January andMarch, there were over ten thousandtourists who visited the area. Mostcome for the 14 day trek across theregion, with some adventurousindividuals also tackling the 21 day trekacross the lesser known tracks.

Not surprisingly, the arrival oftourists has had a tremendous impacton the economy of the region. Startingfrom the entry fee of NRs 2,000 perindividual for Non-South Asiancitizens (for South Asians’ it is NRs200), to the film shooting chargeswhich range from NRs 5,000 to US$1,000; large amounts of revenue havebeen collected, which directly goes tothe government.

In addition, income is also earnedthrough transportation charges, foodsupplies, lodging, etc. Just in theGhandruck area alone, there are over118 hotels, restaurants and tea shops

which are in operation. Localentrepreneurs have also takenadvantage by selling handicraft, whichhas in turn provided income generationopportunities to many rural households.

Considering the large amountsrevenue involved, it is natural to askwhere and how the money is used.Entry fees and charges collected atcheck posts are directly sent to thegovernment, but little is known aboutwhat happens afterwards.

Preservation and maintenance oftrail bridges within ACAP

One of the underlying philosophiesof the project is its focus on theimprovement of the economic life oflocal inhabitants based uponsustainable resource use andconservation. This makes one ask, howis the project helping to conserveinfrastructural resources such as trail

bridges in the region?As presently, there are over 100 trail

bridges located in the project area.These bridges directly facilitate in themobility of local communities to accessmarkets, schools, health facilities andcommunication centers. But, inaddition, they are also equallyimportant for the continuous touristflow into the region.

The topography of the region, withcountless rivers and streams, requirestrekkers to cross bridges to continuetheir journeys. Without these bridges,many areas would be cut-off. Localcommunities would be isolated andentry into these areas would be severelyrestricted. This would have seversrepercussions on the number of touristscoming into the area as well as in thegeneration of revenue.

The maintenance of trekking routesand the trail bridges which lie on theseroutes should therefore be ofparamount importance to ACAP andthe government. One way of helpingwould be by financially supporting themaintenance of bridges in its projectarea, through the revenue that itcollects. Till now, the maintenance ofthe bridges have been entrusted to thelocal communities and the localgovernments, but as with otherinfrastructures, additional supportwould be very welcome.

With the arrival of tourists projectedto increase due to the end of the decadelong internal conflict the maintenanceof the trails, tracks and bridges needsto be given more priority. Even Pascal,a passing traveler, is quick to point outthat without the bridges his trek wouldbe cut short and would come to an endquite quickly. �

Tourist Arrivals in ACAP

Tourist Number Revenue TimeBritish 2,424 4,848,000 Jan - March

Korean 2,359 4,718,000 Jan – March

Chinese 1,665 3,330,000 Jan – MarchAustralian 1,422 2,844,000 Jan – March

German 1,334 2,668,000 Jan – March

French 1,228 2,456,000 Jan – MarchJapanese 1,186 2,372,000 Jan – March

American 1,125 2,250,000 Jan – March

Source: ACAP, 2008

The maintenance oftrekking routes and

the trail bridgeswhich lie on these

routes shouldtherefore be of

paramountimportance to ACAPand the government.

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The uniquely built, Dodhara-Chadani bridge, is a multi-spansuspension bridge which has beenattracting national and internationaltourists alike.

Known throughout South Asia as amodel suspension bridge, it has a totallength of 1,452.96 m, which makes itthe longest trail bridge built for walkingpurposes in the world. Altogether, thebridge consists of eight towers of 32.72m height, four main spans of 225.40 mand eight side spans of 67.7 m.Furthermore, each span is fitted withwind-guys to prevent the shaking of thebridge during windstorms.

The bridge was built at a cost of NRs94.28 million, after the Ministry ofLocal Development approved theplans. Construction was started in 2058BS by the Suspension Bridge Division(SBD) of DoLIDAR. It was completed

in 2061 BS. Located approximately 10 km south

of the Sarada Barrage and 12 kmsouthwest of MahendranagarMunicipality of Kanchanpur district,this bridge connects Piparaiya ofMahendranagar municipality-13 withChadani VDC-6, which is located onthe other side of the Mahakali river.

Due to its strategic location, thisbridge has proved to be a blessing toover 35,000 people who reside atDodhara and Chadani VDCs across theriver, who have directly benefited as aresult of the connection that it hasprovided to the rest of the country. Asbefore its construction, the inhabitantswere compelled to make a six-hour-long journey across Indian territory toreach their own district headquarters.Many were also at risk from Indiandacoits that would prey upon them.

Dodhara-Chadani Bridge becomes atourist destination, but lacks preservationä By JANAK RAJ PANDIT

IN KANCHANPUR

On the whole, thepeople of this far-westernregion are very proud of

this bridge and realize itsimportance for theireconomic and social

needs. It has broughtsmiles to their faces. But

now, sadly they have alsostarted worrying about

its condition and theapathy shown by

concerned authorities forits maintenance and

preservation.

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But now, after the construction of thebridge, this same journey takes half-an-hours walk. There is no longer the need totravel across India and now no longer aretravelers subjected to the risk of robbers.

But more importantly, it is the senseof “connection” that the residents fellwith the rest of the country that hasbeen of the utmost importance. Asbefore, the two VDCs were situated onan island, surrounded by Mahakali riverat one side and Jogbudha river at theother side. According to PravinKhadka, a local of Jhilmila Dodhara, itwas essential to connect these villagesto the rest of the country, as most feltlike Nepalese citizens in name only.They were forced to visit Indianmarkets for basic necessities and evenfor primary health care.

Only after the construction of thebridge, have these residents been ableto frequent Nepalese markets and reachthe district headquarters for services.Conversely, the bridge has also allowedthe products of Dohara and Chadani tobe easily supplied to the markets ofMahendranagar. Trade has thereforeincreased tremendously, with the bridgebecoming a boon for inhabitants onboth side of the river. Students havealso benefited, as they can now attendschools and colleges in Nepal. In thepast, they were compelled to go toIndian colleges, mainly to Dehradun fortheir studies.

According to local Devsara Wali,

groups of students and teachers dailyvisit the bridge as a part of theireducational tour. Some restaurants havealso started businesses near the bridge,due to the large inflow of travelers,students and even national andinternational tourists.

Since the bridge is located just onekm away from Shuklaphanta WildlifeReservation (SWR), most tourists cometo the bridge site to visit and observe.Many can be seen taking pictures of thisunique bridge as well as the panoramicscenery that it affords. It has alsoattracted tourists due to the controversywhich surrounds the issue of theMahakali river and the usage of itswater by India. A dispute, which haslead many activists to demonstrate atthe bridge site, thereby attracting moretourists to the site.

On the whole, the people of this far-western region are very proud of thisbridge and realize its importance fortheir economic and social needs. It hasbrought smiles to their faces. But now,sadly they have also started worryingabout its condition and the apathyshown by concerned authorities for itsmaintenance and preservation. As onecrosses the bridge, few can but noticethat many of the bolts have beenloosened or are missing. According tolocal Jay Bahadur Thagunna,maintenance of the bridge has beensolely lacking. He points out that thereis the risk of the bridge actually tilting

towards the Pipariya side due to theerosion of the Mahakali river. The lackof an embankment has also increasedthe risk of damage to the bridge.

Locals also point out that they havetaken steps for its preservation. Theyinformed Kanchapur DistrictDevelopment Committee (DDC) officialsabout its condition. But in reply theyreceived no answers and so have becomefrustrated with their indifference. Somehave even gone to the extent ofsubmitting a memorandum to SubhasNembang, Speaker of the InterimParliament, to request for support for thepreservation of this famous bridge.

Surya Khadka, UML leader fromDodhara, blames the DDC officials fornot showing any interest in itsmaintenance. He claims that theconcerned officials have not evenvisited the bridge site after itscompletion. However, it is a claim thatis refuted by the DDC. According toBhairav Bohara, Engineer at the DDC,already the DDC has allocated a budgetfor the maintenance of the bridge, andsteps have already been started for itspreservation.

It seems pointless pointing fingers atone another as it will not achieveanything. Rather, considering theimportance of the bridge, it is high timethat everyone starts working on itspreservation. The first step being theneed of embankments to stop theerosion by the Mahakali river. �

The lack of anembankment has also

increased the risk ofdamage to the bridge.

It was essential toconnect these villages to

the rest of the country, asmost felt like Nepalesecitizens in name only.

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By Tirtha Raj Rokaya in Humla

It was seven years ago that JalapiRawat of Chhipra of Humla district lastvisited her maternal home in Simikot.Since then she has never returned.

It is not due to any restrictions fromher husband or in-laws that hasdeprived her of the opportunity. Butrather, Jalapi's contact with hermaternal home was cut off when in2059 BS, Maoist rebels destroyed threesuspension bridges located in Nalla andDojam of Humla district, and in Kharpuand Gyaru of Karnali, to foil possibleentry of security forces to their baseareas.

Jalapi is just one case in point.Others, mainly the elderly, children,physically feeble and disabled from theSouthern part of the district, are alsofacing similar suffering due to theabsence of a suspension bridge, whichhad provided the only means oftransport in the rural region.

More than 30,000 people from 18Village Development Committees fromthe southern Humla, had beenbenefiting from these bridges, whichwere constructed by the SuspensionBridge Division in 2034 BS.

According to Chaure Budha of RayaVDC, local people are now facing

severe problems to their livelihoodsfollowing the destruction of thebridges. "We have not been able tosupply local vegetables, sheep andgoats to the district headquarters," saysBudha, adding, "It has also beendifficult to carry foodstuffs, clothes andother essential commodities to ourvillages from district headquarters."

According to Maina Bahadur Hamalof Chhipra VDC, locals face a lot ofdifficulties in ferrying dailyconsumable goods to and from thedistrict headquarters. He adds, "thereis no alternative to the districtheadquarter to buy daily essentialcommodities like salt, cooking oil, riceand soap as well as for the purpose ofbuying and selling of land. But it hasbeen very difficult to get to theheadquarters now due to lack ofbridges."

Explaining the problems of the localshe further adds that, "it is not so easyto get our work done at governmentoffices and carry out developmentactivities as movement of people hasbecome very tough." Students andteachers of Chhipra, Kharpunath, Lali,and Raya VDCs have also beennegatively affected. "We don't knowwhether we will return back homesafely in the evening," says Kasya

Jethara who works at thee MansarobarHigher Secondary School. Accordingto Mohan Rokaya of BipinConstruction Service, transportingconstruction material to the villages hasbecome a very difficult task due to thelack of bridges.

Social relations between villageshave also been severely impacted.Especially for physically weakindividuals like Jalapi, who are nowcompelled to endanger their lives whilecrossing rivers. "I am worried aboutwhether I will ever be able to reach mymaternal home once again in my life,"says a visibly troubled Jalapi.

She’ll never forget the incident whenan office assistant working at the SmallHydropower Project Humla lost his lifewhile attempting to cross the river withthe help of a tuin, which is thetraditional way to cross the river. Awoman also met the same fate not longago, an incident which is still fresh inher mind.

"We don't know how many peoplewill have to face a similar tragedy. It isunfortunate that no one has cared aboutthis serious problem" laments PremBudha, former president of RayaVDC.”

According to Raj Bahadur Shahi ofKharpu Nath, leaders and cadres of

Reaching maternal home becomesa distant dream for Humlis

Social relations betweenvillages have also been

severely impacted.Especially for physically

weak individuals likeJalapi, who are now

compelled to endangertheir lives while crossing

rivers. "I am worriedabout whether I will ever

be able to reach mymaternal home once

again in my life," says avisibly troubled Jalapi.

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different political parties were seencrossing the rivers with the help of atuin, thereby risking their lives duringthe election campaign. He points outthat, “they experienced the samesuffering of the people. So we arehopeful that they may make plans toreconstruct the devastated bridges”.

According to Humla DistrictDevelopment Committee (DDC), thesuspension bridges in Kharpu, Nallaand Dojam were constructed at the costof NRs 1.1 million, NRs 3.3 million andNRs 700,000 respectively. Thereconstruction works of Gyarususpension bridge should have beencompleted by 2065 BS.

Tilak Paudel, Local DevelopmentOfficer of Humla DDC, points out thatefforts are underway. According to him,the necessary documents have beenforwarded to the concerned authoritiesin a bid to initiate the reconstructionworks of Kharpu and Nalla suspensionbridges.

But for the local people, the delay hasalready caused too many problems. "Noone has bothered to solve this pressingproblem even though two years havealready passed. The then rebels whowere responsible for their destructionare now the ruling party yet nothing hasbeen done,” says Lok Bahadur Hamalof Chhipra VDC.

The signing of agreements, politicaldiscussions and meetings being held inthe capital are not of much concern toJalapi. All that she hopes is that one dayshe will be able to meet her kin in hermaternal home once the damagedbridges are built again. Others, in thevillages in Humal will also be able tobreathe a sigh of relief once thedestroyed bridges are of Nalla, Dojam,Kharpu and Gyaru are reconstructedagain.

The reconstruction of these bridgeswould certainly send the right message.Especially as Nepal now embarks on anew phase of its history. If the issuesof these people were to be put forth asan agenda during the ConstituentAssembly (CA) and the cabinetmeetings that take place, then one canhope that the dreams of Jalapi andcountless like her will one day befulfilled. �

By Dilli Pandey

As shown in the picture, thewalkway is made of twigs supportedalong two iron cables. This is not adummy bridge to demonstrate tochildren. It is a real bridge that isbeing used for crossing a river bylocals of the northern part ofKalikot.

Only bold and fearless locals dareto cross the gorge through it.Common people are too frightened.Nevertheless, people of thesurrounding villages are compelledto risk their lives for their dailylivelihoods.

Previously, people had been usinga bridge to cross a local river atRyagila in Kalikot district. Thisbridge used to connect 17 VDCs ofKalikot district, 9 VDCs of Bajuraas well as Humla and Mugu districts.But, Maoists destroyed it for their

security reasons seven years ago. Thishas resulted in the inhabitants of thearea facing severe difficulties in theirmobility and in their daily lives.

This bridge at Ryagilaghat, was built30 years ago by the Remote AreaDevelopment Committee. It was thelongest and busiest bridge in thedistrict. Locals were able to arrive atthe district headquarters Manma withintwo to three hours. A journey, whichnow requires them to walk for three tofour hours, due to the lack of a bridge.

"Building a bridge will make our lifeeasier. They continually assure us thatit will be rebuilt. But, it still has notoccurred," says Mithu Jaishi of RakuVDC. She however does acknowledgethat the construction materials havebeen brought to the village.

The government released NRs 6.43million seven years ago with a plan toreconstruct the bridge within two years.The budget was sent to the district and

Locals in Kalikot arecompelled to continuerisky journeys

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a User Committee (UC) was formed forthe bridge’s construction. According toDev Raj Bharati, the Chairman of thecommittee, the concerned authoritiesclaimed that the project was a priority,but in reality the work never began. Headds, "it is said that the entire projectbudget has already been released. But,the construction work has not takenplace. The district developmentcommittee (DDC) has informed us (theUC) that it is investigating the matter."

Construction materials worth NRs1.4 million were brought to the villagebut the users committee was told thatNRs 5.2 million was spent for itstransportation. "The materials havebeen brought here, but, the goods aredifferent from what was described inthe estimated details. The materials areuseless. It can not be used in theconstruction of a suspension bridge,"says Bharati, adding, "NRs 5.2 millionhas already been spent in transportationalone. Who will bear transportationexpenses in future?"

Furthermore, members of UC havebeen blaming DDC officials and othersfor embezzling over NRs 2.1 million.Presently, the DDC is trying to take actionagainst the concerned company, whichhas been accused for not supplying thematerials as per the demand.

The Nepalgunj-based regional officeof the Remote Region DevelopmentCommittee had taken the responsibilityof supplying steel parts forreconstruction of the bridge. Membersof the UC and DDC officials found thatthe goods delivered by the supplierwere different than what had beendemanded, but, they only came to knowabout it after the supplier had suppliedthe materials. "This is a mistake doneby the company and we will take actionagainst it," says Local DevelopmentOfficer, Yam Lal Adhikari.

Presently, the hope of the locals whowish the bridge to be built has beenshattered. As already, the budget isfinished, the materials that weresupplied are different from that was

needed. Bridge construction has yetto start, with the constructioncompany claiming the need ofadditional funds for thetransportation of other goods.

Besides the Ryagila bridge, therehave been others which have alsobeen ravaged during the decade-long insurgency period. Fivesuspension bridges built over theTila and Karnali rivers weredamaged in Kalikot district duringthe conflict. No progress has beenachieved in their reconstruction atRaraghat, Serighat, Lalighat andBhaktighat.

Around 70,000 villagers in theseareas have been affected due to thedillydallying of concerned agencieswith regards to the reconstruction ofthe bridges. Locals are compelled touse boats, makeshift rope-ways tocross the rivers at the risk of theirlives. Already, seven persons,including three children have losttheir lives. �

Only bold and fearlesslocals dare to cross the

gorge through it.Common people are too

frightened. Nevertheless,people of the surrounding

villages are compelled torisk their lives for their

daily livelihoods.

Around 70,000 villagers in these areas have been affected due to thedillydallying of concerned agencies with regards to the reconstruction of thebridges. Locals are compelled to use boats, makeshift rope-ways to cross the

rivers at the risk of their lives. Already, seven persons, including threechildren have lost their lives.

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By Kanti Singh

Trail Bridges are considered as thebackbone for rural transport in Nepal.As many trail bridges are constructedover many rivers, there is still a vastunfulfilled demand. In order to meet thetrail bridge need of the country, aNational Policy known as the TrailBridge Strategy (TBS/LIDP) has beendeveloped providing procedural as wellas technical explanations. One of thetechnical explanations is about theclassification of trail bridges. Trailbridges have been classified into threecategoriesi. Short Span Trail Bridges (SSTB)

range from 32 to 120 metres whichare constructed by using steelcables. SSTB bridges are executedthrough the well known“Community Approach”.

ii. Long Span Trail Bridges (LSTB)range from 120 m till 280 m for thesuspension type and 120 m till 350m for the suspended type. Bothtypes are constructed by using steelcables and are executed through a“Contracting Approach”.

iii. Truss Steel Bridge are up to 32meters in length constructed byusing steel steel truss and areexecuted through the CommunityApproach.

PremiseUsers Committees (UCs) play a key

role in facilitating the successfulimplementation of Short Span TrailBridges. In absence of the elected body

at the local level, UCs have evenrepresented the people of the districtsin formulating their demands forbridges. During times of conflict, theUCs have taken unprecedentedresponsibilities that enabled thecompletion of a large number ofbridges. The success stories of the UCsin constructing SSTB bridges havebeen the basis for wanting to pilot LongSpan Trail Bridge under a CommunityApproach. It should be noted thatpotentially there are considerablesavings one can make applying thisapproach instead of the classicalContracting Approach.

Objective of Piloting

The objective of piloting LSTBbridges through the communityapproach is to test the UCs’ capabilityof managing the execution of bridgeworks and also, of handling funds. Theexperience gained from this project willform guidelines for future courses ofaction.

Planning and ImplementationModality

The Swiss Agency for DevelopmentCooperation (SDC) through the TrailBridge Support Unit (TBSU/Helvetas)has endorsed supporting this LSTBpilot bridge. A CollaborationAgreement between the DDC Dang andTBSU had been concluded regardingthe trail bridge support. TheCommunity Agreement between theDDC Dang and the community hadsubsequently been signed in order to

commence work at site. The UC isresponsible to execute the constructionof the bridge with technical supportfrom the DDC and TBSU. A DelegationAgreement between DDC-Dang and alocal NGO has been established toprovide social support to the UC.

Roles & Responsibilities of theStakeholders

The roles & responsibilities of all thestakeholders are defined in detail in theabove mentioned agreements. The mainresponsibilities are:i. TBS/DoLIDAR is to develop

policies, norms and standards,coordinate among donors, allocatebudget and develop technicalknow-how and approaches throughpilot projects.

ii. DDC is to plan and implement theproject through the community withthe support of the NGO.

iii. TBSU is to provide technicalsupport which includes monitoringof the project.

iv. NGO is to provide social support(note: on SSTB bridges it alsoprovides technical support) to thecommunities which include timelyreporting on the progress of theproject.

v. UC is to execute the constructionworks and is responsible forhandling the fund received fromvarious sources for the project.

Piloting of Bhimbad Bridge as anLSTB under Community Approach

As Rapti is one of the major rivers, a

Piloting of a Long Span Trail Bridgethrough the “Community Approach”

The objective of piloting LSTB bridges through the communityapproach is to test the UCs’ capability of managing the execution of

bridge works and also, of handling funds. The experience gained fromthis project will form guidelines for future courses of action.

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bridge is a priority for the community.For the first time in Nepal, a bridgeUsers Committee (UC) in Dang districtis constructing an LSTB bridge. Construction work on Bhimbad Bridgebegan in FY 2007/08 over the RaptiRiver. This bridge will serve 1,222households comprising 7,332 people. The community is made up of Janajatis(53%), Dalits (13%), Minorities (17%)and “others” (17%) which includeBrahmins, Chhetris and Thakuris. Thebridge will provide access mainly tomarkets, health centers, service centers,educational centers and for enabling toconduct household activities by thecommunities.

The communities on both banks ofthe river, in the vicinity of the bridge,have proven to be highly committed. The DDC and VDCs, including otherstakeholders, have committed theirrespective support. As Forest UsersGroups (FUGs) will benefitsubstantially, nine such groups havecontributed to the bridge construction.The community members are veryresponsive and have been briefed onthe phase-wise construction process aswell as on the roles and responsibilitiesof the various stakeholders. On thebasis of this experience, the classicalContractors Approach will be reviewedand, possibly after more tests, amendedto make more space for the CommunityApproach.

At present, the river at Bhimbad iscrossed with the help of boats. Afterthe completion of the bridge, theboatpersons will lose their jobs. Therefore, these boatpersons willreceive priority with bridge trainingduring which they will acquire skillsthat could help them becomeconstruction workers.

Technical

The span of this bridge will be 165mspan and its walkway width 1.0 m. Thebridge is of the suspended type. Thebridge is designed following the wellestablished LSTB technology. Thefoundations of the bridge will be basedon soil in both banks. The MainAnchorage Foundations are designedas gravity foundations. On the rightbank, the foundation block will beelevated to gain sufficient free board.

A windguy system is also included towithstand possible high winds and toprovide additional stability to thebridge.

SocialA Public-Hearing, -Review and –

Audit will be held at the start, midwayand conclusion of the project. The mainintention of organizing these events isto maintain transparency throughoutthe project cycle. It is important to forman inclusive Users Committee whichcomprises of the disadvantaged group.At the same time the project focus onimproving their livelihood.

Contribution PatternThe contribution pattern was

finalized during a meeting at the DDCpremise in presence of all thestakeholders. The committedcontributions are as follows:

Learning Although the bridge is in its initial

stage of construction, preliminarylearnings are given below. Re-formation of the UC is suggested inorder to better reflect the compositionof the local population.

The bridge layout work has beencompleted and the first phase of workhas commenced. Technical input fromTBSU will be high as this is a pilotingcase and also due to the lack of NGO’stechnical capacity.

The NGO will provide social supportto the UC. The Social Mobilizer of theNGO needs to visit the site frequentlyduring its initial stage as the UC willneed support in managing fund,executing bridge construction and alsoin making the reporting systemeffective.

The expected participation of the UCmembers is higher than for averageSSTB-bridges as the funds they willmanage will be considerably higher andalso to manage execution of the bridge.

An issue that has emerged at thebridge site is that some poor womenwere deprived of work because of theirbabies. It is a serious concern for allthe stakeholders and we have animportant role to play in finding theright solution. �

leqL k[i7Domestic (Rate of NRs.)

Inside back of cover page Inside pages

Full page

15,000

8,000

Quarter page

5,000

3,000

Half page

8,500

5,000

10% discount on above rates

25% discount on above rates

35% discount on above rates

Full page

13,000

7,000

Quarter page

4,000

2,000

Half page

7,000

3,000

10% discount on above rates

25% discount on above rates

35% discount on above rates

No. of advertisement

One time (Colour)

One time (Black & White)

Two times

Three times

More than tthree times

leqL k[i7International (Rates in US $)

Inside back of cover page Inside pages

Full page

400

225

Quarter page

150

100

Half page

250

150

10% discount on above rates

25% discount on above rates

35% discount on above rates

Full page

350

200

Quarter page

125

75

Half page

200

125

10% discount on above rates

25% discount on above rates

35% discount on above rates

No. of advertisement

One time (Colour)

One time (Black & White)

Two times

Three times

More than tthree times

Nepal Trail Bridge ForumRates for Advertisement in Pahunch

Institution Amount PercentDDC Rs 334,924 8 %VDC Rs 300,000 7 %

FUGs(9) Rs 882,600 21 %

Community Rs 43,622 1 %RRN (NGO) Rs 100,000 2 %

TBSU Rs 2,597,566 61 %Total Rs 4,258,712 100 %

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PAHUNCHPAHUNCH

NTBF has overcome manyhurdles but can it overcome

the current crisis?By Prof. Deepak Bhattarai

Trying to be a good Ambassadorfor the rural poor who cannot fundthe very organization that isrepresenting them is not alwayseasy. The NTBF which has so farexclusively operated throughvolunteers has cleared manyhurdles out of the way. It howeveragain has come to a life threateninghurdle, namely a lack of funds,which again seems insurmountable.

When the NTBF was createdback in 2005 it faced two seriousissues. The first issue was itsregistration thus determining itslegitimacy. Due to the then reigningconflict, registration kept on beingpostponed, frustrating everybodybut the initiators succeeded at lastin 2007 to get the Government’sformal endorsement. What a relief!

The second issue started bywanting to be a good Ambassadorfor the rural poor it represents.Many of these people complainedthat they couldn’t get their produceto the market during the monsoonbecause of a lack of bridgesconnecting the rural roads. Hencethe then still informal NTBForganized a seminar getting all the

bridge experts together to see how theproblem could be tackled. Misfortunewanted that the king seized power thevery day the NTBF had organized theseminar. Consequently, all donorsboycotted the seminar therebyfrustrating the initiators who were andstill are volunteers with good intentionswanting to help their clientele.

After having overcome the big blow,the initiators organized a secondseminar on the same issue, entitled“Connecting Rural Nepal” in 2007.The attendance of Governmentauthorities and especially bridgeprofessionals was encouraging.However the follow-up, possibly alsobecause of a poor attendance bydonors, still leaves a lot to be desired.

In its movement of being a goodAmbassador to the poor, the NTBFintended to hold workshops in eachDistrict with a cross section of societyin an attempt to identify any discontentwith respect to pedestrian bridges.Funds proved to be a major obstaclebut NTBF eventually persuaded TBSUof Helvetas to sponsor two workshops.Two districts with extremecharacteristics were chosen, notablyBaglung and Jumla. People of bothDistricts were very enthusiastic and theproblems surfaced almost immediately.

The results of both meetings werepublished in the PAHUNCH of July –September 2007, Vol. 1 Issue 2.

Baglung, even though it is one ofNepal’s smallest Districts possesses400 bridges! Baglung has a longtradition in trail bridge constructionand its people proved to contributegenerously (as much as 40%) towardsbridges. Currently, it has 100 bridgesin disrepair of which 50 are lifethreatening! The people of Baglungwish to again contribute liberally toreduce this number markedly but arefrustrated by the contributionconstraints donors impose and thusrepairs progress very slowly.

Jumla, is the other extreme. It is oneof the largest Districts and is struck byextreme poverty. As a result it only has10 bridges and its people identified 150locations where bridges are desperatelyneeded. People in Jumla feel that theirneeds have been ignored for decadesby both the Government and donors.

Being a good Ambassador to thepoor, the NTBF reacted swiftly afterthe tragic bridge accident of Subaghatbridge in Surkhet. Both theChairperson, Professor DeepakBhatterai and the Treasurer Er. SarojUpadyaya went to the site, to declaretheir sympathy with the bereaved

In its movement of being a good Ambassador to thepoor, the NTBF intended to hold workshops in each

District with a cross section of society in an attempt toidentify any discontent with respect to pedestrian

bridges. Funds proved to be a major obstacle but NTBFeventually persuaded TBSU of Helvetas to sponsor two

workshops.

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PAHUNCHPAHUNCH

The unit price of trail bridge parts purchasedby the Trail Bridge Support Unit (TBSU)

13mm steel cable NRs 63.00 per meter (excluding duty)26mm steel cable NRs 236.00 per meter (excluding duty)32mm steel cable NRs 322.00 per meter (excluding duty)

Steel Parts NRs. 90.00 per kg. (excuding VAT)Galvanizing NRs. 45.00 per kg. (excuding VAT)Reinforcement NRs. 90.00 per kg. (excuding VAT)Nuts and Bold Hot NRs. 220.00 per kg. (excuding VAT)dip galvanizedCement NRs. 700.00 per bag (excuding VAT)

including delivery at store13mm: Bulldog grips NRs. 50 per piece (excuding VAT)26mm: Bulldog grips NRs. 200.00 per piece (excuding VAT)32mm: Bulldog grips NRs. 270.00 per piece (excuding VAT)

families and to investigate as to thecause of the accident. The Chairpersonpresented the NTBF’s findings in ameeting with the Government, variousdonors and TBSU of Helvetas.Subsequently preventative measureswere taken to prevent similar accidentsand the Government appointed anenquiry comprising different

Government officials whichculminated in a report. The NTBF willcontinue to keep pressing theGovernment to release the overduereport and to compensate those that losttheir beloved ones adequately. ThePAHUNCH of January – March 2008,Vol. 1 Issue 4, was fully devoted to thistragic accident.

Hiring two professionals, rentingmodest facilities and continuing orrather expanding the work like inBaglung and Jumla is considered aprerequisite for NTBF’sprofessionalism and survival. Ittherefore approached SDC in March2008 for financial support. Althoughit appeared promising, so far no fundshave been formally committed anddespite the generous contributions by“Bridges to Prosperity” from Americaas well as “Hulas Steel” from Nepal,NTBF has almost run out of itsresources. TBSU of Helvetas used togenerously subsidize PAHUNCH andalso this source is running out. Asolution to this grave problem is veryurgent!

Maps popular amongst developers of

infrastructures and tourists alikethat were developed by theGovernment with the support ofSDC/Helvetas, were, because oflegal complications, withdrawnfrom the bookshops in 2002. NTBFhas given a proposal to DoLIDAR,requesting the latter to mandate itwith the administration ofdistribution and sales while payingDoLIDAR a royalty. The NTBF ishopeful to soon receiveDoLIDAR’s mandate which wouldease its financial plight.

Lastly, NTBF considers itself asthe most appropriate candidate formaintaining the Nepal Trail BridgeRecord (NTBR). The NTBR iscurrently maintained by TBSU ofHelvetas and will need, one day, tobe handed over to its counterpart,DoLIDAR. As the NTBF is closerto bridge users than the CentralGovernment it considers itself moreapt to assume responsibility for saidNTBR. However, until the sales ofmaps starts to bring in revenue, willNTBF need financial support fromoutside for this additional duty. �

NTBF has given aproposal toDoLIDAR,

requesting the latterto mandate it with the

administration ofdistribution and sales

while payingDoLIDAR a royalty.The NTBF is hopeful

to soon receiveDoLIDAR’s mandatewhich would ease its

financial plight.

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PAHUNCHPAHUNCH

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PAHUNCHPAHUNCH

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