On April 25, 2015, the people of Nepal witnessed a deadly earthquake and it has been six years since then the work of reconstruction is going. The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has claimed that 93 per cent of reconstruction work is completed.
A disastrous earthquake with the epicentre at Barpak in Gorkha district on April 25, 2015 had caused loss of livelihood.
According to the Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2016, 8,856 people were killed and 22,309 injured in the 2015 earthquake.
The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) was formed on December 25, 2015 with the main objective of rebuilding and rehabilitating the damage caused by the earthquake and following aftershocks.
“During this period, we have used the situation as an opportunity to rebuild a large number of damaged structures in 32 earthquake-affected districts, including private housing, educational and health facilities and archaeological heritage, while some are in the final stages of reconstruction,” shared Sushil Gyawali, Chief Executive Officer of the National Reconstruction Authority.
Major Achievement
According to NRA, 93 percent has been achieved in private housing, a major sector of reconstruction and rehabilitation. Out of 811,754 beneficiaries who have signed the agreement of grant, 753,104 have started reconstruction.
The first instalment distribution has reached 99.86 percent, the second instalment distribution has reached 86.78 percent, and the third instalment distribution has reached 78.66 percent claims NRA.
“Apart from this, the authority has launched a special campaign to rebuild the houses of the those in the risky area and those deprived by mobilizing about 900 labourers and 254 social workers,” said Gyawali.
The northern, southern, and eastern part of Singhadurbar was inaugurated by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers had started operating from February 15.
The restoration of palaces of archaeological importance including Keshar Mahal, Babar Mahal, Balmandir and Ranodeep Durbar in the Narayanhiti Museum area is under construction.
Rehabilitation
After the quake, land was arranged for safe housing for 4,720 beneficiaries who lived in 299 unsafe areas and 12,788 landless beneficiaries were given favourable environment to build houses, said Gyawali.
Reconstruction of Heritage Sites
According to NRA, 493 out of 920 damaged sites have been reconstructed and 288 are being reconstructed.
Reconstruction of Ranipokhari was completed and inaugurated by President Bidyadevi Bhandari, while Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the Dharahara on April 24.
“The master plan of Greater Ranipokhari-Tundikhel-Ratnapark-Khullamanch-Bhrikutimandap-Rangshala-Republic Museum, Narayanhiti Museum, Gorkha and Nuwakot Durbar area and all the seven archaeological heritages of the valley are in the stage of approval,” said Gyawali.
Monastaries
Out of 402 monasteries that needed repairing, 294 have already been repaired. Of the 895 monasteries that needed reconstruction, 264 were older than a century and covered a plinth area of more than 2,000 square feet among which 36 were reconstructed and 631 were less than 100 years old and covered less than 2,000 square feet among which 101 were under reconstruction.
Schools
Of the 7,553 schools damaged by the quake, 83 percent have been reconstructed and 17 percent were under reconstructed. Reconstruction of these schools is targeted to be completed within this fiscal year.
Health Institutes and Governmental Buildings
Out of 1,197 health institutions, reconstruction of 698 was completed and reconstruction of 296 is in progress. Of the total 415 government buildings, 90 percent have been reconstructed.
Out of 216 structures of security agencies being constructed under NRA, 214 have been completed.
The Reconstruction Authority has stated that out of 762 km of roads to be reconstructed in different districts, 525 km of roads have been reconstructed and the rest will be completed within this fiscal year.
The impact of COVID-19
The Government of Nepal has extended the tenure of NRA till December, 2021 due to the lockdown imposed on March 24, 2020.
NRA has clarified that the planned work could not be completed during this period due to the pandemic.
NRA has prepared an action plan to carry out regular work from mid-July 2021, to mid-December and to hand over Ranipokhari, Dharara, and western section of Singha Durbar and Ranoddeep Durbar inside Narayanhiti Museum to the concerned ministry.
International Support in Reconstruction
NRA has said that it has received a lot of help from neighbouring countries for the reconstruction. Of the Rs 410 billion pledged at the donors’ conference, Rs 67 billion was spent on relief and rescue and other programs and Rs 49 billion from the Exim Bank of India was diverted to the Government of Nepal. Therefore, the actual committed amount of money was only 294 billion.
Out of this, an agreement has been reached for Rs. 243 billion. Apart from this, about Rs. 72 billion has been mobilized out of 90 billion by NGOs.
Other areas benefited from the reconstruction
According to NRA, about 407.5 million working days were created during this period.
Research mentioned that the locals employed and this helped in the promotion of cement, bricks, rods, zinc sheets, crushers and timber industries available in the country.
More than one hundred thousand skilled construction workers were prepared during the reconstruction. The number of women was also significant.
Reconstruction has increased access to finance for about 800,000 households through bank accounts. Earthquake resistant engineering technologies have been developed so that local building materials can be used.
According to NRA, training on disaster risk upliftment has been organized for the local level people’s representatives and staff working from last December to last April and training has been provided to 1,011 people’s representatives and 799 employees.