About 9 billion 66 million will be spent for the reconstruction of various road sections of the BP highway damaged by the floods in the second week of last October. According to the study conducted after the flood, it was found that a huge amount of money will be spent on reconstruction.

According to the Divisional Road Office, Bhaktapur, it is estimated that the amount will be spent on reconstruction at various locations from Bhakunde to Nepalthok under the BP highway. Under the highway, eight kilometers of the 12-kilometer road section from Chowkidanda at Namobuddha in Kavrepalanchok to Kaldhunga in Roshi Rural Municipality was completely damaged. According to senior divisional engineer Suman Yogesh, head of

office, it has been seen from the study that three types of walls (RCC retaining, plum and gavion wall) should be installed on the said road.

'Though the study shows that a bridge should be built first in some places, a conclusion will be drawn after discussing whether to build a bridge or build a wall,' he said. According to him, it has been seen that RCC walls should be installed in places where the river may flood, while studies have shown that plum walls and gavion walls should be installed in some places. Chief Yogesh said that he is waiting for resources to rebuild the damaged road.

'According to the study that has been carried out to reconstruct the road section, the source of the cost has not been confirmed, we will start the process of opening the contract after the sources are confirmed from the donor agencies and the government of Nepal,' he said. The Japanese government's International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted a study on the reconstruction of the damaged section of the highway in the second week of October.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had a discussion with Japan's Ambassador to Nepal Kikuta Yutaka on October 30 for the reconstruction of the highway. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has already offered support to JICA for the reconstruction of the road section. The ministry is awaiting JICA's report and response. According to the secretary of the

ministry, Keshav Kumar Sharma, the budget of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority is ready to be demanded from the disaster management fund. Even though donor agencies like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank have taken concessional loans, there are preparations for the reconstruction of the highway.

Secretary Sharma is ready to proceed with the contract process by next February. Chief Yogesh said that there will be difficulties in the transportation operation during the rains of the coming year after ensuring the resources for the reconstruction.

He said, 'We would have started the work if the resources were assured now, if it is delayed now, the transport may not be operated throughout the rainy season.' According to him, it will take at least two years to completely rebuild the road. Under the BP highway (Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bardibas), most of the road section from Chowkidanda in Kavrepalanchok to Barkhekhola in Sindhuli is damaged.