Project: Road Connectivity Sector Project
Environmental Impact Assessment
Client: Asian Development Bank
Location: Nepal
Type of Project: Environmental Impact Assessment
Start: 2005
The Transport Connectivity Sector Project includes the upgrading and
improvement of over 500km of feeder roads linking upland rural areas to
the main central highways in all five development zones from far
west to eastern Nepal. The implementation will be carried out by the
Department of Roads.
David Green lead the EIA workstream with support from local EIA and
ecological specialists who also conducted a statutory public
consultation process. A Sector Impact Assessment covered the overall
impacts from the loan on Nepal.
Overall the project was reconfirmed as category A environmentally
sensitive in accordance with the ADB’s requirements of 2003 and EIA was
carried out for those roads which ran through ecologically sensitive
areas such as National Parks, wildlife sanctuaries or other
protected sites of religious or archaeological significance. IEEs were
undertaken for the various other sub projects where no significant
impacts were predicted.
Limted widening with drainage and safety measures in towns and villages
The project involves resurfacing and limited widening to improve
road geometry, vertical profiles, horizontal alignment, slope
stabilization, bioengineering and provide improved drainage. The aim is
to shorten traveling times and improve traveling comfort between
district centres in the rural areas and improve north south connections.
Slope stabilization, bioengineering and improvement of irrigation infrastructure in hilly areas
Better surfacing to reduce dust and nuisance
Culverts and cros drainage to reduce flooding
Only minor realignment of the existing routes was planned in order
to minimize slope cutting and reduce additional major geo-engineering
in the difficult terrain. Major bioengineering was planned
for geologically unstable areas, prone to landslip. Forest areas
were protected and extensive tree planting was planned for hundreds of
locations along the candidate roads. Alignments were fine tuned to
improve travelling comfort and and road safety.
Gabion walls and
bioengineering
;
Limited widening through forests and reserves
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