Local Representatives Urge Government to Prioritize Road and Bridge Construction in Flood-Affected Areas

Kathmandu. Local body representatives from Rasuwa and other flood-affected areas have demanded that the government prioritize road and bridge construction. On Monday, during a meeting with Prime Minister Balen Shah at Singh Durbar, they urged that alternative roads and Bailey bridges in the affected areas be made the first priority. Rajan Shrestha, Mayor of Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot, stated that the floods have washed away most of the bridges around the Trishuli River, making transportation extremely difficult for the affected settlements. He emphasized the immediate need for Bailey bridges and alternative roads, as relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts have been hampered by the destruction of bridges and roads. Shrestha informed that the Prime Minister assured that the government is ready to address the demands of the local representatives and that there will be no shortage of budget for infrastructure construction and rehabilitation. Shrestha mentioned that the broken road network is currently causing significant problems. 'Almost all our bridges over the Trishuli have been washed away, and there are five to seven wards on the other side of the Trishuli,' he said. 'Not only Bidur Municipality but also Belkotgadhi Municipality is equally affected.' He noted that destinations that normally take two to three hours now take 15 to 20 hours. He further informed that 10 wards of Bidur Municipality, considered relatively accessible, have been damaged. 'The condition of the areas across the Trishuli is even worse, like Karnali,' he added. 'After raising the issue of alternative routes and connectivity, the Prime Minister told us not to worry about the budget.' He clarified that the discussion focused on what infrastructure could be built immediately to provide relief to the public. Mayor Shrestha expressed the view that rehabilitation should not be limited to temporary housing but should be linked to employment and livelihood. He stated that if necessary, legal arrangements should be made for land exchange with forest areas to identify safe locations for resettlement and manage land. He clarified that they proposed to the Prime Minister to resettle flood-displaced settlements in safe locations and connect them in the long term with smart cities, dry ports, industrial areas, and tourism development. He mentioned that work is currently underway in coordination among all three tiers of government. Jagat Bahadur Gurung, Mayor of Belkotgadhi Municipality, however, complained that the federal government's administrative machinery has not been able to keep pace with the local representatives during the disaster. He stated that transportation has been affected due to the obstruction of the Galchi-Trishuli-Rasuwa-Mailung road, and despite repeated requests for the construction of alternative roads, work has not progressed promptly. Gurung believes that the system of conducting surveys and cost estimations through regular administrative processes during disasters causes delays. He emphasized the need to start work immediately in areas of need by mobilizing resources in emergency situations. He clarified that with the road network broken, it is not possible to provide services to patients, new mothers, and those needing rescue solely by helicopter. He shared his experience of having to provide relief by helicopter for some time in his ward due to the severed road network. Gurung advised the government not to resettle flood-displaced populations on risky riverbanks. He stated that affected individuals with land should be resettled in safe locations according to their needs, and for the landless, local governments should identify land and provide it in coordination with the federal government. 'During the disaster, the federal government's administrative machinery did not cooperate with us local representatives in the way we were involved in relief, rescue, and rehabilitation,' Gurung said. 'Alternative roads are the most important thing during a disaster.' He reminded that helicopters cannot reach all places without roads. Clarifying that not all individuals whose houses and land were washed away are landless, Gurung said that only for those without land, the local government will identify a safe place and recommend it to the federal government. 'The Prime Minister has stated that the issue of rehabilitation will be quickly resolved, even if it means correcting policy delays and lengthy processes,' he said. 'Affected citizens should not be forced to live in that unsafe condition.' Parshuram Khatiwada, Chairman of Siddhalek Rural Municipality in Dhading, informed that he has demanded the construction of an alternative road from the rural municipality to the district headquarters Dhadingbesi. He demanded that affected farmers be provided with appropriate compensation and relief as the floods have caused significant damage to their farmlands. He stated that a written report on other problems of the rural municipality has been submitted to the government. Representatives stated that consensus was reached at the meeting on facing national disasters in a unified manner through coordination between the federal, provincial, and local governments. It was also informed that Rasuwa will be given special priority in relief distribution.