Case Studies
By connecting Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and the Terai plain that leads to India, the Sindhuli Road was constructed with the aim of shortening travel times and securing a stable transportation route for goods, thereby contributing to the stability of logistics, industrial development, as well as to improve the livelihood of residents along the road. The construction work started in November 1996 and was completed in March 2015, taking nearly 20 years.
Road construction
The Sindhuli Road was a new road constructed in a mountainous area that had no existing road whatsoever. Nippon Koei was in charge of design and construction supervision of this major infrastructure project. The construction sites were on steep slopes, so there were many challenges unique to geographical conditions. Such works, for instance, are the construction of a large temporary road only to deliver the equipment and materials, or the construction of scaffolding on steep slopes, and all of these activities were to be well prepared and sequenced so that the construction work would not delay.
Geohazard landslide prevention
Due to its mountainous location, Sindhuli Road is vulnerable to landslides. In the torrential rain in July 2002, some parts of the road under construction were destroyed and washed away. The road is designed with three countermeasures: crib works with rock bolt; anchor works; and high intensity net with rock bolt for erosion control in key vulnerable locations along the road. Cost effectiveness was optimised by using local materials and technology suitable for the circumstances in Nepal, while also considering the design requirements to prevent the risk of landslides.
Positive impact
The project had a huge socio-economic impact on Nepal, and contributed significantly to the growth in civil engineering and construction industries within Nepal due to job opportunities and training provided on sites.
More information: The Project for Construction of Sindhuli Road (jsce.or.jp)
