Resilient Rehabilitation of Trails in Highly Affected Communities of Gorkha and Rasuwa

The project, better known as Unnat Goreto, provides technical support in rehabilitation of foot trails and bridges in Gorkha and Rasuwa in a manner that they are more resilient to future shocks. The rehabilitated trails offer the communities safe and economically convenient access routes linking the markets key trading areas. The anticipated length of trails covered is 125 km and these are combined with measures to provide safer river crossings, slope protection, and activities to reduce risks in order to improve resilience of the communities to prepare them in case of disasters in the future.

For the implementation of the project, SW Nepal is a key member of the consortium led by People in Need (PIN) contracted by DFID.

The main activities under the project include the following:

• Rehabilitation and improvement of 125 km long foot trails, alongside the construction of 15 rest areas along the trails.
• Installation of 9 pedestrian steel truss bridges.
• Installation of 213 metres of handrail and 413 metres of handhold.
• Disaster hazards and vulnerability mapping and installation of Early Warning and Response Systems (EWRS).
• Inclusion activities with women and girls
• Development of guidelines and curriculum for trail construction and maintenance.
• National, district and community training sessions.

In undertaking this assignment, the services provided by SW Nepal reinforces the firm’s strength that lie in vast experience of construction and rebuilding with very strong pool of dedicated young engineers. The key services that were provided are not limited to, but majorly, are survey, design, estimation, construction supervision, measurement and final bill preparation of trail, rest sheds, handrail and rope handhold, and truss bridge construction work.

The outcome from these activities significantly improve on the lives of the communities by providing them with a safe and durable pedestrian access following the damage of existing infrastructures by the earthquakes.

In particular, the assignment results in:

• Remote communities having improved access to social services, markets and economic opportunities through the restoration and upgrade of trails.
• Communities and relevant stakeholders (construction actors, national and district authorities) capacitated to construct and maintain trails according to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and other best practices.
• Communities can effectively prepare for and respond to disasters and protection risks posed throughout reconstruction.
• DisThe members of the communities get employment opportunities while they engage in construction activities. The project trains and equip the communities in a range of skills associated with trail and bridge construction as well to strengthen their resilience to prepare for disasters.