Editorial»
Bridging the gap
AUG 21 -
The government once again seems to have gotten it priorities all wrong. It has been learned that it is planning to construct 400 new bridges across the country even while the older bridges are crying out for attention. The Department of Roads (DoR) has made it clear the government priority should be on fortification of 50 bridges that need immediate attention. But DoR officials are helpless as there is tremendous pressure from influential politicians including Cabinet ministers for allocation of vital resources for construction of new—and often unnecessary—bridges in their electoral constituencies.
Besides the 50 bridges, there are 1,000 others along the East-West highway in need of attention. Amazingly, despite the mounting pressure on DoR from various quarters to spend more on new bridges, the amount it gets for construction of new bridges and maintenance of old ones is a paltry four billion rupees. (The yearly maintenance of a single bridge costs a half a million rupees.) The result of the undue political pressure on DoR is that it often cannot spend the money where it is needed the most. It isn't surprising then that the bridges on the strategic road networks—consisting of the country's major highways and sub-highways—are worse for the wear. These bridges, most of which are over 25-years-old, have already lost their capacity to absorb the vibrations caused when vehicles pass over them, making them highly prone to accidents.
Then there are the urgently needed new bridges which have not been built as the money has been diverted elsewhere. For instance, four bridges that were to be built along the Karnali highway—the only road network connecting Karnali region with rest of the country—are now in limbo with no budget allocated for the purpose.
The misallocation of funds at DoR is indicative of the sad fact that even investment in vital infrastructure requires strong political connections in Nepal. Of course, politicians everywhere have the tendency to throw money into attractive new mega-structures in lieu of paying much-needed attention to unglamorous repair work. Even in the United States, when a bridge on the interstate collapsed in 2007,
subsequent investigation of American bridges revealed that 25 percent (around 14,000) were either 'structurally deficient' or 'functionally obsolete'.
But just because it happens elsewhere is no reason to be complacent and put people's lives in harm's way. A couple of things ought to happen to secure the existing bridges and construct the much-needed ones. First the DoR budget for the same must go up—if it is to get close to meeting the demand for new bridges as well as securing the old ones. But at the same time, there should be a mechanism to ensure that the allocated amount is funnelled into the right projects. In other words, spending on vital infrastructure needs to be kept free from political meddling. This is easier said than done in a country where political interference in bureaucracy is the norm. But it is a small price to pay for the comfort and safety of the country's citizens.
Posted on: 2010-08-22 09:07
Headlines
Advertisements
