March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Hill Road Development Experience in Bhutan

EFRC & Access Improvement Challenges

Mr. Phuntsho WangdiDirector, Department of Roads, Royal Government of Bhutan

March 7, 2007

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Latitude: 26o45’N & 28o10’N

Longitude: 88o45’E & 92o10’E

International Boundaries: China in the North,

India in the East, West and South

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Land Area: 38,394 Sq. KmDistricts: 20Population: 634,982 Capital: ThimphuGDP: US$ 3921(PPP) per CapitaReligion: Buddhism

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Mountains and Crisscross Valleys

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Rich Biodiversity - Bhutan lies within one of the world’s 10th biodiversity hot spots

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Rural Communities & Subsistence Farming

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

DEVELOPMENTAL POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Balanced & Sustainable Development

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Promotion of Gross National Happiness

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Preservation of Culture & Tradition

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Environmental Protection & Nature Conservation

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Poverty Reduction & Gender Equality

TRANSPORT SECTOR GOALS TRANSPORT SECTOR GOALS

Improved quality of life of rural population Improved quality of life of rural population through improved access to socio-economic through improved access to socio-economic facilities, marketing facilities, health and facilities, marketing facilities, health and education facilities, etc. and;education facilities, etc. and;

More reliable, safe and economical road More reliable, safe and economical road transport through reduced travel time, reduced transport through reduced travel time, reduced road accidents, reduced road user costs, road accidents, reduced road user costs, reduced transportation costs of goods and reduced transportation costs of goods and services etc.services etc.

KEY POLICY STRATEGIESKEY POLICY STRATEGIES

Mechanization of road works, standardization and Mechanization of road works, standardization and reduce dependency on in-house labor;reduce dependency on in-house labor;

Privatization of road works to develop capacity in private Privatization of road works to develop capacity in private sector for implementation of road works. sector for implementation of road works.

Contracting out maintenance activities to communities Contracting out maintenance activities to communities (develop local capacity, provide employment/income (develop local capacity, provide employment/income generation opportunities and transfer of ownership);generation opportunities and transfer of ownership);

Adoption of Environmentally Friendly Road Construction Adoption of Environmentally Friendly Road Construction (EFRC) Techniques.(EFRC) Techniques.

Challenges in Meeting in Rural Challenges in Meeting in Rural Access GoalsAccess Goals

Provision for transport infrastructure isProvision for transport infrastructure iscostly and challengingcostly and challenging

Difficult Terrain and fragile mountain ecosystem;Difficult Terrain and fragile mountain ecosystem;

Sparsely populated and scattered settlements;Sparsely populated and scattered settlements;

Balancing road development activities & environmental Balancing road development activities & environmental protection goals of the country; protection goals of the country;

Contracting and private sector still at infancy;Contracting and private sector still at infancy;

Low transport demand due to low population density;Low transport demand due to low population density;

Salient features of EFRCSalient features of EFRC Formation CuttingFormation Cutting

Minimize cuts into mountain slopes Minimize cuts into mountain slopes Design road profiles with the concept of mass Design road profiles with the concept of mass

balance (cut-and-fill) balance (cut-and-fill) Tree cutting minimized and the logs are used Tree cutting minimized and the logs are used

for log barriers for log barriers Use of excavators for excavation and for Use of excavators for excavation and for

loading of tippers– avoid bulldozers loading of tippers– avoid bulldozers Controlled blasting to minimize destabilization Controlled blasting to minimize destabilization

of slopes and damages to the environment;of slopes and damages to the environment;

Salient features of EFRC (Cont’d)Salient features of EFRC (Cont’d) Slope Stabilization Slope Stabilization

Construction of log barriers and boulder barriers for Construction of log barriers and boulder barriers for controlled spoiling of excavated materialscontrolled spoiling of excavated materials

Top soil excavation for Bioengineering works;Top soil excavation for Bioengineering works; Gabion/crib wallsGabion/crib walls Bioengineering for slope stabilization and re-Bioengineering for slope stabilization and re-

vegetationvegetation road formation consists of fill portions supported by road formation consists of fill portions supported by

retaining wallsretaining walls Excavated materials transported to pre-identified Excavated materials transported to pre-identified

locationslocations Protect the vegetation and farm lands in the valley from Protect the vegetation and farm lands in the valley from

damagesdamages

..

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank

Application of Environment Friendly Road

Construction Techniques