BRIDGES IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAM (BIMP) (IDA Credit 5138-NEP) Fourth Implementation Review January 21-29, 2014 AIDE MEMOIRE I. Introduction and Acknowledgments 1. A World Bank team1 led by Farhad Ahmed ( Sr. Transport Specialist and Task Team Leader) (see Annex A), in partnership with staff from the Department of Roads (DOR), undertook an implementation review of the Nepal Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (BIMP) from January 21 – January 29, 2014. The objective of the review was to: (i) assess progress against Action Plan items; (ii) review the status of Program activities that will trigger Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs); and (iii) identify next steps for addressing challenges that may impact on the Program’s ability to achieve envisaged results. The Team visited four bridge sites to briefly assess their quality and to ascertain results achieved and potential field implementation issues. 2. The Team is grateful for support from DOR and the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) to conduct this review (Annex B provides the list of persons met). It is important to note the critical importance of continued collaboration as the Program is showing many serious implementation deficiencies. If left unaddressed, these could lead to suspension or possible termination of IDA’s support. The Bank reiterates its commitment to making this Program a success and stands ready to support the Government of Nepal’s (GON’s) immediate actions to address the issues identified in this Aide Memoire. 3. This Aide Memoire summarizes key findings along with and updated set of specific ”next steps” to correct the Program’s current trajectory. The content of this document reflects decisions agreed during wrap-up discussions chaired by the Secretary, MoPITon January 29, 2014. As per the World Bank’s Access to Information Policy and the decision of the wrap-up meeting, this Aide Memoire will be classified as a public document. II. Summary of Program Progress and Program Status Program Data Program Performance Ratings Board Approval: 28-Jun-2012 Summary Ratings Last Now Effectiveness Date: 20-Dec-2012 Achievement of PDO MU U ▼ Original Closing Date: 15-Jul-2017 Implementation Progress U U ▼ Original Cr. Amount: US$60.0m Action Plan MU U ▼ Amount Disbursed: US$14.402 Disbursement Linked Indicators MS MU ▼ Technical MU U ▼ Fiduciary MU U ▼ Social and Environmental MU U ▼ Counterpart Funding MU MU ◄► Notes: S- Satisfactory; MS – Moderately Satisfactory; MU - Moderately unsatisfactory; U – unsatisfactory; ▲ Improving trends; ▼ Deteriorating trends; ◄► Static. 1 Hereinafter referred as “the Team” 2 SDR 9,675,000.00 as of June 30, 2013 1 of 41 4. The Program’s trajectory has not improved since the last review held in October 2013. The majority of follow up actions agreed at that time remain unaddressed (see Annex F). There are particularly critical lapses in the following areas: (i) expenditure patterns that suggest the Program is a secondary priority for DOR; (ii) failure to address previously identified data gaps in the BMS system; and (iii) neglect for Geo-Environment and Social Unit’s (GESU) agreed role in the managing the Program’s social and environmental risks. 5. The Team is, however, pleased to note progress on executing 34 contracts for urgent major maintenance. It is particularly heartening to see that bridges taken up for maintenance have exactly followed Bridge Management System (BMS) priorities. This is a significant achievement. Despite this, the Team is concerned to note that actual expenditures on maintenance during FY 2012/13 were 60% less than the amount budgeted and 30% less than the amount spent in the year before IDA’s support to BIMP became effective. This is likely on account of delays in procuring contracts until very late in the fiscal year. While the FY 2012/13 budget impasse undoubtedly affected the Program, the Team notes that spending on new Local Road Network bridge construction exceeded budget targets by 30%. These figures imply a continued and undesirable diversion of the Bridge Project’s (BP’s) attention from maintenance and the Strategic Road Network (SRN) towards new construction endeavors on the Local Road’s Network (LRN). 6. A foremost concern for the Team is continued failure to integrate DOR’s Geo Environmental and Social Unit (GESU) into the Program’s activities for managing social and environmental impacts. It is particularly disconcerting to note that GESU has had no substantive ex-ante involvement in preparing planned FY 2013/14 bridge investments. This represents failure to implement DOR’s Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), which is a legal requirement under the Program and a critical part of the Program Action Plan. The Team notes that DOR has already taken immediate steps toward addressing this issue by engaging social mobilizers for ex-post assessments of bridge sites where interventions have already begun. Specialists from the Bank’s team are helping to train these individuals. GESU’s role in the Program’s activities will receive particularly close attention in subsequent reviews. Continued lapses in this area may lead to the immediate suspension or termination of IDA support. Summary of Individual Program Areas Item Rating Key Points  Procurement process underway for consultants to conduct baseline Program Development data collection for the Program impact evaluation U Objective o With Program’s current performance it is highly unlikely that the Program will achieve its development objectives  Incremental progress against fiduciary actions  Incremental progress against cross cutting actions Action Plan (Overall) U o Lapse on technical actions o Critical lapses on environmental and social actions 2 of 41 Item Rating Key Points  DLI-1: 34 bridges taken up for major maintenance (as per agreed program) o DLI-2: no progress in identifying minor maintenance bridges  DLI-3: 7 new bridges under construction according to BMS priority (prioritized in FY 2012-13). o DLI-3: 29 new bridges taken up for new construction outside of Disbursement Linked BMS priority in FY 2013-14 MU Indicators o DLI-4: no substantive progress  DLI-5: BMS fully operational in 7 Divisions o DLI-5: no substantive progress in 2011/12 on BMS data verification and updating  DLI-6: Incremental progress on DOR’s Grievance Redressal Mechanism  BIMP orientation sessions held in 5 Region and 25 Divisions  Redbook shows adequate budget in FY 2013/14 for design and feasibility study o Expenditure patterns imply that the Program is a lesser priority for DOR/MoPIT o No actions taken to address data deficiencies identified in BMS o No substantive progress on quality assurance planning Technical U o No substantive progress to develop and assign project management teams o No substantive progress in developing a training program to support BIMP’s implementation o Continued delay in engaging the Project Support Consultants and Capacity Building Consultants o No incremental progress on the Bridge Operations Toolkit  Planning and Design Branch managing a register of procurement unit chiefs as agreed  Incremental progress on clearing backlog audit objections Fiduciary U o Audit issues and observations (FY2010/11) not yet fully cleared o Three trimester reports (second and third trimesters of FY2012/13 and first trimester of FY2013/14) remain outstanding o Audited accounts of FY2012/13 overdue  Short term resources engaged to support GESU o No active involvement by GESU in developing the FY2013/14 work program Social and o Bills of quantity for many works contracts under implementation U include no provisions for basic health and safety items Environmental o Continued delay in engaging longer term additional human resources for GESU o Delays in releasing financial resources to GESU Overall Program o Little evidence that the Program remains a priority for DOR or GON U rating o Unacceptable lapses in environmental and social related covenants Notes: S- Satisfactory; MS - Moderately Satisfactory; MU - Moderately Unsatisfactory; U - Unsatisfactory 3 of 41 III. Progress in Achieving Development Objective 7. Achieving the development objective “to provide safe, reliable and cost effective bridges on Nepal’s Strategic Roads Network” is unlikely given the Program’s trajectory. This objective highly relevant to improving the quality of life for people in Nepal. However, achieving it requires a break from “business as usual” within the Department of Roads. There is little evidence to suggest that DOR or MoPIT are taking the required transformation seriously. 8. Procurement is underway for a consultancy team to undertake baseline data collection as required to measure the impact of BIMP interventions. As noted during the October 2013 BIMP implementation review, accurately measuring impacts will depend on prioritized planning for bridgeworks (particularly new construction). Deviation from BMS priorities as was observed for the FY2012/13 program of new bridge construction may lead to two deficiencies: (i) underestimation of positive impacts as the locations chosen for new construction may not reflect economic priorities; and / or (ii) inability to accurately plan sites for data collection across years. Without the logic that BMS prioritization ensures, it will be difficult for the impact study to plan survey works in the right communities at the right time. IV. Current Implementation Status Action Plan Implementation 9. This section highlights the main concerns or necessary actions under each heading of the Program Action Plan. Annex E and Annex H provide assessment details and the agreed actions that will help in the achievement of Action Plan targets respectively. A. Technical Actions  Expenditure patterns show that DOR is focusing on new LRN bridge construction (which is outside the Program’s scope) at the expense of SRN bridges: BIMP’s draft trimester report shows that the BP spent NPR 205 million (USD 2 million) on SRN bridge maintenance during FY2012/13 which was 65% less than the amount budgeted. It is particularly disconcerting to see that FY2012/13 expenditures on SRN maintenance were 43% lower than FY2011/12 when IDA had yet to commit to supporting BIMP. The BP has cited impacts from Nepal’s FY2012/13 budget impasse. However, the credibility of this explanation remains weak considering that the BP was able to spend NPR 2.6 billion (USD 26.1 million) on LRN bridge construction during that year. This amount was 30% more than was budgeted, nearly 13 times more than was spent on SRN bridge maintenance and 75% more than was spent on SRN bridge construction during that year. These expenditure patterns provide a clear message: DOR and MoPIT have prioritized LRN bridge construction over the Program’s activities (see Annex C).  Continued delay in engaging consultancy support to augment the Program’s capacity: DOR requires additional support to plan and manage the volume of works that it will implement in the later years of BIMP. However, DOR has continuously failed at meeting deadlines agreed in previous reviews for engaging the Project Support Consultants and Capacity Building Consultants. The Program’s ability to achieve the DLIs in later years is looking increasingly unlikely as human resources to take forward greater volumes of work are conspicuously absent.  No substantive efforts to improve or maintain BMS: During FY2012/13 the BP identified minor data gaps in the BMS system. Specifically, the BP noted 15 roads and approximately 100 crossings that were not included in the field surveys that populated the 4 of 41 BMS database.3 However, the BP has since made no progress on implementing the remedial actions agreed during the October 2013 Program review. Additionally, there have been no efforts made towards updating data within BMS to reflect natural changes in asset condition. The objective technical system that BMS provides to select the highest priority investments is an integral part of improving results from DOR’s bridge sector investments. There is an acute risk that BMS will become obsolete without attention to continuously maintain and improve the quality of its underlying data.  Immediate action is needed to improve quality: The Team’s field visits have observed that construction quality remains a major challenge for the Program (see Annex I). However, there has been little or no effort to make progress against BIMP’s quality related actions. Specifically: (i) Quality Assurance Plans have yet to be developed; (ii) no steps have been taken to assign project management teams for preparing and supervising bridge works; (ii) BP has not developed a training program to support BIMP’s implementation; and (iii) revised estimates of FY2012/13 expenditures show that the BP spent only 4% of the Program’s capital budgets on design and feasibility study relative to the agreed target of 5%. However, the Team is pleased to note that as per the FY2013/14 Red Book the Government has allocated a budget for design and feasibility study of bridges that is equivalent to 6% of the Program’s capital works budgets, which exceeds the agreed target. The lack of progress on other quality actions implies that the BP is failing to take quality improvements seriously. B. Fiduciary Actions  Three trimester reports remain outstanding: The BP has submitted one draft trimester report on Program expenditures, which was not up to an acceptable standard. The Bank’s team has provided comments on them. If preferable, the BP may submit a single progress report for all outstanding trimesters (but separate financial monitoring reports) provided that it disaggregates information by trimester. DOR’s management should take immediate steps to ensure that the BP addresses this issue as it could lead to the suspension of IDA disbursements.  The first audited Program financial statements for FY2012/13 were due on January 15, 2014. Audited Program Financial Statements are a condition of the Financing Agreement. The scope of audit activities will include only expenditures under those line items which are specific to the Program’s expenditures. The Bank’s team requests that the Program provide a specific breakdown of the individual contracts which have received support from the Program’s budget during FY2012/13. This is necessary to verify whether Program funds have been diverted to bridges on the Local Roads network under budgets that are intended for Strategic Roads Network bridges.  There are outstanding audit issues from FY2010/11 and FY2011/12 that require response. The Program Action Plan requires DOR to address audit observations from FY2009/10 and all subsequent years. DOR’s audit committee has cleared approximately 34% of audit observations from FY2010/11 and 18% from FY2011/12 as of January 14, 2014.  Need to accelerate budget transfers from BP for essential Program activities: The time required for transferring financial resources from the BP to other entities (NVC, GESU) who are implementing Program tasks has taken far too long. For example, NVC’s budgetary allocation to conduct the Integrated Technical Audit was only available in January 2014 – already half way through the fiscal year. Similarly, GESU’s funding 3 These roads were added to the SRN only after the survey was complete 5 of 41 allocation to support Program activities was available in December 2013. The Team notes that a primary source of the delay has been inaction on the part of the BP. Close supervision by DOR’s management to avoid a repeat of this scenario in FY 2014/15 is requested. This will help to ensure that other units can effectively discharge their Program related functions. C. Environmental and Social Actions  The involvement of the Geo Environment and Social Unit (GESU) in Program activities has been insignificant: GESU has not had a substantive ex-ante role in preparing the FY2013/14 program of new construction or maintenance works. DOR’s Environmental and Social Management Framework does not require detailed assessment for all bridge sites. However, GESU should provide an initial screening of proposed projects to identify those sites which may require detailed assessment and possible mitigation measures. This screening and any required assessments must happen before procuring contracts to ensure that scopes of work, specifications, and bills of quantity reflect any required mitigation measures. DOR has taken immediate measures to engage specialists on a short terms basis to conduct site assessments for Program works in progress. However, the ability to affect mitigation measures once works have already begun may be severely limited. The Team emphasizes that bridge works that do not comply with DOR’s ESMF will not be eligible to count towards DLIs. Continued failure to implement the ESMF violates covenants of IDA’s support to BIMP.  Variation orders will need to modify bills of quantity for ongoing works that include no provisions for basic health, safety, and environmental / social impact mitigation items: Preliminary assessments suggest that many ongoing Program contracts include no provisions for basic worker health and safety, traffic management, environmental mitigations, etc. It is possible to insert these provisions within ongoing contracts given that their cost is likely to be within the allowable threshold for variations. The Bank team requests the Bridge Project to conduct a full review of all ongoing contracts and execute the necessary variation orders by the next Program review in late April 2014.  Resources for GESU have materialized too late: As per the Program Action Plan, BIMP must provide adequate financial resources to ensure that GESU can discharge its assigned functions under the Program. During FY2013/14 the process for assigning resources to GESU appears to have been lengthier and more bureaucratic than necessary. The Team strongly recommends that DOR takes adequate to ensure that resourcing GESU in FY2014/15 does not suffer similar delay. If necessary, DOR, MoPPIT and MoF should alter the Program’s budget structure to ensure that GESU receives financial resources in a timely fashion during each fiscal year. The Bank team stands ready to assist with this endeavor upon request.  Collaboration between the BP and GESU remains minimal: The last review recommended that GESU and the BP would hold monthly coordination meetings. However, the Team noted that such meetings have not occurred regularly as agreed. The Team again recommends that DOR’s management takes measures to ensure that monthly coordination meetings take place in order to increase collaboration between BP and GESU.  Template developed for environmental and social assessments and initial environmental examinations: As agreed in the last Program review, DOR has developed templates to standardize and streamline environmental and social reports (such as IEE/EIA). The Bank’s team welcomes this initiative but notes that these templates have yet to be deployed effectively due to the aforementioned issues relating to GESU’s financial and human resources. 6 of 41  No measures taken to ensure that design-build contracts account for ESMF provisions: During the last review GESU and BP agreed to review existing procurement documentation for design-and-build style contracts with a view to ensuring compliance with the ESMF. This is a current gap, which could lead to implementation delays or a failure to mitigate social and environmental impacts. To date there has been no substantive action to address this gap and the issue remains outstanding even as the BP moves to take up additional design-build contracts. D. Cross Cutting Actions  Operationalizing DOR’s Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM) is overdue: DOR has developed software (with World Bank’s support) and approved a policy for its Grievance Redressal Mechanism. However, it has fallen behind the date for operationalizing the GRM as agreed in the Program Action Plan. The Team encourages DOR’s management to ensure that the GRM is operational prior to the next Program review. Disbursement Linked Indicators 10. Annex G contains a detailed table with updates on the Program’s Disbursement Linked Indicators. The Team has identified the following key issues relating to DLI achievement:  The Bridge Project has sent incomplete Dossiers to National Planning Commission (NPC) for DLI verification process: The bridge verification dossiers that the BP has submitted for verification reflect no substantive environmental and social screening by GESU and are therefore incomplete. The BP and GESU should immediately address this to avoid further delays in DLI verification.  NPC is standing by to conduct verification activities: The Team is pleased note that the consultancy resources needed to handle DLI verification are in place and ready to carry out verification activities. V. Other Items for Attention 11. The following provides other items for attention beyond those identified in earlier paragraphs.  DOR has procured the Bridge Inspection Vehicle. The vehicle has been procured by the Road Sector Development Project and DOR is now awaiting delivery. The team is keen to see that DOR makes immediate use of the Bridge Inspection Vehicle for the purpose of updating data in the BMS system.  The pilot initiative to monitor bridge construction, maintenance and management activities using mobile phones is now under implementation. The software required to facilitate mobile monitoring is now operational and undergoing testing in the Central Region prior to a full nationwide rollout. The Team notes that the initial pilot has encountered difficulties. It has been reported that DOR personnel who have no direct role in bridge works (e.g. accountants) have received smartphones. Similarly, transferred personnel have taken smartphones along with them rather than leaving them to their colleagues who replaced them. The Team requests DOR’s management to establish an accountability regime to manage access to mobile monitoring equipment.  DOR has approved the Program outreach strategy in line with the Right to Information Act, 2007 but has yet to implement it: The Team is pleased to note progress on this item and looks forward to full implementation by the next Program review.  Opportunities for developing standard designs to accelerate Program implementation: Engineers from the BP have flagged an opportunity to achieve efficiencies by developing 7 of 41 standard designs and drawings for short span, simple RCC bridges. The Team welcomes this suggestion and recommends that DOR’s management take this initiative forward as it will help to save considerable time in achieving the Program DLIs.  Opportunities to deploy new technologies: BP engineers expressed keenness to deploy new technologies and construction techniques on Program’s works. Support in this area is meant to come through the Capacity Building Consultants that DOR has yet to engage. However, the Bank stands ready to help identify resources to fund training or short term inputs from international experts on specific topics upon official request from MoPIT / DOR. The BP is strongly encouraged to leverage the Bank’s network of international contacts to obtain knowledge on any area of relevance to implementing the Program. VI. Proposed timing and focus of next review 12. The fifth Program review will take place after three months (late April, 2014). The fifth review will again focus on: (i) progress on implementing the Program Action Plan; (ii) progress made towards the achievement of DLIs; and (iii) a review of the implementation of agreed actions in this review. As mentioned in this Aide Memoire, the Team will focus particular attention on the following items: use of BMS in investment planning and updating BMS data, planning of minor maintenance, submission of complete dossiers for DLI verification, GESU’s role in Program delivery, activities linked to quality assurance of bridgeworks. 8 of 41 ANNEX A: IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW TEAM # Name Position 1 Annu Rajbhandari Environment Consultant 2 Bhagawan Shrestha Quality Assurance Consultant 3 Bibash Shrestha Team Assistant 4 Dominic Pasquale Patella Transport/Finance Specialist 5 Drona Ghimire Environmental Specialist 6 Farhad Ahmed Sr. Transport Specialist and Task Team Leader 7 Hiramani Ghimire Sr. Governance Specialist 8 Parthapriya Ghosh Sr. Social Development Specialist 9 Pradeep Kumar Shrestha Financial Management Consultant 10 Rekha Shreesh Social Development Consultant 11 Shambhu Uprety Procurement Specialist 12 Shubu Thapa Team Assistant 13 Vishnu Shrestha BIMP Consultant 14 Yogesh Bom Malla Financial Management Specialist 9 of 41 ANNEX B: PERSONS MET # Name Position Organization 1 Mr. Tulasi Prasad Sitaula Secretary MoPIT 2 Mr. Gopi Nath Mainali Joint Secretary NPC 3 Mr. Shiva Hari Sapkota Joint Secretary NVC 4 Mr. Devendra Karki Director General DOR 5 Mr. Ramesh Nath Bastola Executive Director Roads Board Nepal 6 Mr. Umesh Jha Project Director, Bridge Project DOR 7 Mr. Dipak Shrestha Project Coordinator, Bridge Project DOR 8 Mr. Indra Mani Pokhrel Chief Accounts Controller, BP DOR 9 Mr. Purna Siddhi Lal Shrestha Unit Chief, GESU DOR 10 Mr. Sushil Babu Dhakal Project Incharge / SDE DOR 11 Mr. Naresh P. Keshari Engineer DOR 12 Ms. Arati Shah Engineer DOR 13 Ms. Sabina Ranabhat Engineer DOR 10 of 41 ANNEX C: EXPENDITURE ANALYSIS† 65% underspend; less spend on maint. than SNR Br. Maintenance Budgets & Actual Expenditure before IDA support 700,000 600,000 SRN maintenance budgets Downward NPR '000 500,000 SRN maintenance expenditures trends in 400,000 budget & exp. 300,000 200,000 100,000 - 2008/09 actual 2009/10 actual 2010/11 actual 2011/12 actual 2012/13 rev. 2013/14 budget 40% underspend FY 12/13 Construction Budgets & Actual Expenditure on the SRN SRN SRN new constuction budget SRN new constuction exp. LRN construciton budget LRN new construciton LRN exp. 30% overspend - 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 on the LRN NPR '000 FY 12/13 Bridge Sector Budget FY 12/13 Actual Bridge Sector Exp. LRN construciton LRN LRN new budget prioritized const. exp. 2,586,872 1,987,543 at expense 60% 39% of SRN & maint. Feasibility Feasibility study study budgets 66,310 27,250 SRN new 1% SRN new 1% constuction SRN maint. constuction budget budgets SRN maint. exp. 2,440,000 579,003 exp. 1,474,616 48% 12% 204,601 34% 5% † Budget figures and LRN expenditure figures from MoF Redbooks. SRN expenditure figures from draft BIMP trimester report. 11 of 41 ANNEX D: UPDATE ON PROGRAM MONITORING FRAMEWORK Indicators Baseline Date Progress To Date Date (of the End-of- Date Value data Project collection) Target Value PDO: to provide safe, reliable and cost effective bridges on Nepal’s Strategic Roads Networks A. PDO level Results indicators PDO Indicator 1: Improved condition 53 October  First measure due in year 3 TBD 75 of bridges on SRN 2012 (The percentage of bridges on SRN rated as being in good or fair condition) PDO Indicator 2: Reduced number of 6 October  First measure due in year 3 TBD 1 structurally unsafe bridges 2012 (The percentage of bridges on SRN rated as structurally unsafe) PDO Indicator 3: Strengthened Negligible October  Data to be collected with first round of TBD 50 performance management in bridge 2012 DLI verification (still under planning) sector (Percentage of bridge works completed on planned schedule) B. Intermediate result indicators Intermediate Results Indicator 1: 0  Data to be collected with first round of TBD 17,125 Completion of major maintenance of DLI verification (still under planning) bridges on SRN (Cumulative metres) Intermediate Results Indicator 2: 0  Data to be collected with first round of TBD 3,500 Completion of minor repairs of DLI verification (still under planning) bridges on SRN (Cumulative metres) Intermediate Results Indicator 3: New 0  Data to be collected with first round of TBD 6,000 bridges built or improved on SRN DLI verification (still under planning) (Cumulative metres) 12 of 41 Indicators Baseline Date Progress To Date Date (of the End-of- Date Value data Project collection) Target Value Intermediate Results Indicator 4: 0  DOR has officially endorsed BMS for TBD Improved Bridge Asset Management SRN bridge planning and prioritization (Number of actions completed) via letter from Director General on October 10, 2012  Public version of BMS is available via DOR website: http://www.dor.gov.np/  Data to be collected with first round of DLI verification (still under planning) Intermediate Results Indicator 5: 0  GRM policy developed and approved by TBD Increased effectiveness of the MoPIT. institutions responsible for bridge  GRM software developed and presented sector management (Number of to Bank team actions completed)  GRM to officially launch within February/March 2014 13 of 41 ANNEX E: ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION STATUS COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Technical Actions Accomplishments  BMS fully operational in 7 Divisions  DOR and MoPIT have officially endorsed BMS for SRN bridge planning and prioritization  Public version of BMS is available via DOR website ( Personnel trained in use http://www.dor.gov.np/) Linked Bridge i. BMS, the basis for planning, prioritization and of BMS, conditions Challenges / issues to DLI Project/Regional M&E, to be continuously maintained and used for On-going surveys updated and 1-3 and Directorate/Divisional  Regular update of data from prioritization of the Program. annual prioritized 5 Office Divisions and ensuring their programs available quality remain a major issue.  Need to engage IT personnel (including an computer operator) for maintenance of the software  Need a dedicated server for hosting the BMS  Software modifications and training needed to link BMS and CMS 14 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Accomplishments  Action Plan for improving skills and facilities for quality monitoring and control has been developed  A committee (headed by the DDG, Planning) has been finalizing the actions for improving division lab facilities.  BP has purchased non-destructive ii. DOR implements a Quality Assurance Plan. All Continued compliance testing (NDT) equipment in the materials testing to be undertaken according to will be monitored by last FY (2012-13) and have plan specifications as described in the Quality On-going Bridge Project/DOR technical audit to procure such equipment in Assurance Plan and in the contract between DOR consultants current FY too. and the contractor. Challenges / issues  Divisions are struggling to find trained personnel for running labs (especially material engineers)  Significant need to upgrade testing equipment at division labs  DOR need to assign dedicated responsible staff in the labs  DOR needs to decide where the NDT equipment will be housed. 15 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Accomplishments  BP issued department-wide letter on 21 Aug. 2012 instructing formation of PM teams with technical, social, and environmental personnel for all bridges costing > NPR 10 mil. iii. DOR will assign project management teams for  BP is monitoring division each contract that has value over US$125,000 compliance with instructions. Continued compliance equivalent (roughly NPR10 million). The project October 31,  BP agreed to include up-to-date will be monitored by management team will comprise technical, social 2012 and DOR list in Trimester Reports. technical audit and environmental personnel. A team can manage ongoing Challenges / issues consultants multiple contracts depending on operational requirements.  Delay in engaging implementation support consultant to provide social and environmental expertise in the regions.  BP needs to monitor team composition and effectiveness  BP needs to link division teams with BIMP Coordinator at HQs Accomplishments iv. through MOF, during the implementation of the  MOF has given authorization to Program, allocate at least five percent (5%) of its spend to MoPIT which includes October 31, total civil works budget under the Program in each 5% allocation to functions agreed 2012 and July said Fiscal Year, for feasibility studies, design, Increased budgetary under FY 2013-14 budget. 31 in MoPIT/MoF supervision, quality control, management of allocation Challenges / issues subsequent environmental and social impacts, and other required inputs for the maintenance and years  BP needs to ensure that adequate construction of bridges under the Program. resources are allocated for GESU and NVC to perform functions under Program 16 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Accomplishments  Draft mid-term training plan prepared but no further action taken up to finalize the such plan  Training conducted in Network Arch Bridge technology and pre- stress/post tension RCC bridge (Dr. V.K. Raina on 9th Dec. 2014) through International Consultant experts  Challenges / issues Training Plan prepared v. DOR prepares annual training plans for all SRN October 31, and training  Delay of engaging Capacity bridge related functions and implements these 2012 and Building Consultants delayed the DOR/Bridge Project implemented. Activities plans throughout the Program implementation annually preparation of the training plan supported by capacity period. thereafter building consultants  Difficulties in identifying local expertise in new / latest technologies to provide training. This has impacted on planning of training.  Need to develop a groups of trained staff with expertise in bridge sector works  Need to develop private contractor capacity  Need to include training on quality management, and other software including GRM, CMS, MDCS in the training plan 17 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Fiduciary Actions Accomplishments  MOF has revised expenditure Separate budget lines framework on 18 Dec., 2012 to i. Creation of separate budget heads for SRN bridges for SRN and LRN Effectiveness provide separation for SRN which will provide the budget allocation for MoF bridges appear in condition bridges expenditures under the SRN Bridge Program. annual budget issued by MoF Challenges  MoF needs to maintain same level of commitment every year Accomplishments  Priority list of bridges generated from BMS  List of priority bridges available on DOR website  Five Year bridge-by-bridge investment plan is available in draft form and awaiting detail review and approval of DOR ii. Annual preparation and public disclosure of Challenges/ issues Linked October 31, Annual investment plan prioritized investment and maintenance plans based on BMS and limited by identified budget to DLI 2012 and Bridge Project prepared and disclosed  Delay in the review of 1-3 annually in DOR website investment plan and its approval envelop. could create Gaps between investment plans and subsequent achievement of DLIs  BP, DOR has not followed BMS Priority for new bridges in FY 2013/14.  Continuing political pressures to deviate from investment plans and BMS priority list bridges. 18 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Accomplishments  BP has nominated procurement chief (within BP)  BP agreed to include the list of procurement unit chiefs in the Trimester Reports  BP designated a Sr Divisional Engineer as BIMP Coordinator A memo from DOR iii. Appoint and maintain a procurement unit chief in and one of his tasks is to monitor October 31, with the list of each of the procuring entities with clear job this activity 2012 and revise procurement unit chiefs descriptions and provide them with at least one- DOR Challenges the list as and a confirmation week training on procurement (if they are not already trained). appropriate from DOR that training  No comprehensive register of the has been provided appointed staff exists  There are concerns that procurement unit chiefs may not have sufficient authority to meet responsibilities  DOR Planning and Monitoring Unit to update register of nominated procurement chiefs. 19 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Accomplishments  Committee established  36% of objections from 2009/10 have been addressed similarly iv. through DOR, (i) establish an audit committee  34% of objections from meeting the requirements of the Recipient’s Office 2010/2011 have been addressed of the Auditor General, to address outstanding The committee will  18% of objection from 2011/12 audit observations from Fiscal Year 2009/2010 have met following (up to 14th January 2014) has and those in subsequent years, if any, resulting October 31, receipt of the been addressed DOR from DOR’s own operations; and (ii) ensure that 2012 preliminary report and Challenges all said outstanding audit observations from Fiscal responded within 35 Year 2009/2010 are addressed according to a time- days  Identifying reasons for offices bound action plan acceptable to the Association that did not respond to audit and Recipient’s Office of the Auditor General. observations  Developing systems to monitor and enforce requirement to respond  Lack of proper system with up- date data 20 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Environment and Social Actions Accomplishment  Revised ESMF disseminated via web and hard copy of addendum circulated and available for circulation  GESU has disseminated the information on changes made in ESMF to all divisions and regions during BIMP orientation including role of GESU in BIMP i. through DOR, review and revise DOR’s current  The revised version has been environmental and social management rules and circulated to all concerned procedures to incorporate bridge specific divisions of DOR. environmental and social impact mitigation Revised ESMF October 31, measures, in form and substance satisfactory to the DOR/GESU disseminated via web Challenges / issues 2012 Association, and immediately thereafter and hardcopy implement said revised rules and procedures in a  BP requires to follow ESMF manner satisfactory to the Association throughout strictly. the Program implementation.  Poor coordination between BP and GESU  Need to incorporate relevant social and environmental issues into bill of quantities and contract documents Need to incorporate ESMF in mid-term training plan of BP  Delay of deployment of Social Mobilizers in the field and Social and Environmental specialists in GESU 21 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Accomplishment  DG has issued memo assigning GESU to environmental and social aspects of all road and ii. through DOR, provide the Geo-Environmental and bridge projects on 4 Oct. 2012 Social Unit within DOR with power and adequate  BP and GESU have agreed to resources, acceptable to the Association, to enable Memo from DOR to meet monthly in order to October 31, it to carry out the social and environmental DOR formally assign GESU coordinate environment and 2012 management measures in accordance with the to SRN Bridge Program social activities with regard to revised rules and procedures referred to in action BIMP. (i) above. Challenges / issues  Need to maintain adequate coordination between GESU and BP  Accomplishments  BP has allocated budget to fund GESU’s in order to support the Program iii. Preparation of a plan, and subsequent  Procurement process underway October 31, implementation of that plan, to strengthen GESU GESU is strengthened for individual social and 2012 and on- DOR both in terms of manpower and financial as per agreed plan environmental consultants to going resources. support GESU Challenges / issues  Need to maintain continuity in budget allocation by BP as per approved Business Plan 22 of 41 COMPLETION ACTION DESCRIPTION DLI DEADLINE RESPONSIBLE PARTY UPDATE ON STATUS MEASUREMENT Cross-cutting Actions Accomplishments  Policy developed and approved by MoPIT.  Implementation of GRM related software underway with Bank i. Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM) rust fund support developed, made operational, and implemented in September30, Challenges / issues GRM developed and DOR for managing all type of complaints DLI-6 2013 and on- DOR including technical, fiduciary and going made operational  The software needs trial and social/environmental issues. debugging  DOR needs to implement GRM policy  Need to establish appropriate organization within DOR to implement GRM Accomplishments  Draft toolkit in final stage of ii. Preparation of a Bridge Operations Toolkit (with review and approval support from the Association) that will summarize  Procurement process underway to various bridge planning, construction, December 31, Toolkit developed and develop CD-ROM version and maintenance and management procedures. The Bridge Project 2012 published possibly web-based toolkit toolkit will be developed based on the existing procedures that exists in different DOR manuals, Challenges / issues guidelines etc.  Full adaptation of the toolkit might take time  Commitment to use toolkit 23 of 41 ANNEX F: STATUS OF AGREED ACTIONS FROM LAST REVIEW Next Step Responsibility Deadline Status Project Development Indicator  Funding secured, procurement process  WB   Drafting of ToR underway for study team Action Plan implementation Under technical action (i)  DOR to arrange dedicated  RfP to be issued for server or hosting service for  DOR short listed Consultants  Achieved BMS by Oct 31, 2013  Not achieved  BP to procure medium-term  RfP to be issued for  Procurement process contract for BMS software  BP short listed Consultants is not completed yet. maintenance and updates by Oct. 31, 2013. Expected soon.  Training program to include  Capacity  Not achieved basic training in BMS, building  December 30, 2013  No progress so far CMS, and other software consultants Under technical action (ii)  Training program (see  Not achieved  Capacity  During annual training below) to include materials  Principally agreed to building period & annually on lab operations / specific include in the overall consultants thereafter tests training program Under technical action (v)  Not achieved  RSDP to get WB’s  Capacity Building  EOI is expected to be  BP/RSDP NOL by Nov.15, 2013 Consultants engaged published by mid-  EoI publish by Nov.30, Feb., 2014 2013 Under fiduciary action (i)  Not achieved  Interview completed for candidates selected through Technical Proposal on 17th Jan. 2014  This needs to be re-  BP to engage and mobilize  Mobilized by Nov.15,  BP advertised as the internal audit consultant 2013 financial proposal of consultants are found to be higher than the estimate  May take quite sometime to complete the process. 24 of 41 Next Step Responsibility Deadline Status Under fiduciary action (ii)  WB to support BP with development of 5 year bridge-by-bridge investment  Planning and  Not achieved  DOR approval by Dec plan and to seek MoF and Design Branch,  DOR approval is still 30, 2013 NPC endorsement* Please BP and WB pending read my cynical view – Vishnu Under fiduciary action (iii)  DOR planning branch to  Continuous throughout  Not achieved maintain register of implementation  BIMP Coordinator has  Planning and procurement unit chiefs and  All BIMP Trimester been assigned with the Design Branch to include this within Reports to include responsibility to trimester reports updated register monitor Under fiduciary action (iv)  All outstanding audit  DOR Audit  Achieved observations from 2009/10  > 40% by Oct 30, 2013 Committee to be addressed Under social and environmental action (i)  DOR/BP implement revised ESMF incorporating into  Partially Achieved bridge Project  Involvement of GESU Implementation Cycle in the implementation (PMC) and ensures inclusion of ESMF is only  BP/GESU  On-going process of ESMF through review/ partial. acceptance and compliance  Compliance monitoring by the GESU till monitoring by GESU release of Defect Liability yet to be achieved Period (DLP) Certificate  BP and GESU maintain close coordination for  Partially achieved effective implementation of  Joint 1st and 2nd revised ESMF by  1st meeting on Oct.9, meetings held in the conducting formal meeting  BP/GESU 2013 month of October, at least once in a month with  Every month 2013 maintaining minutes.  No subsequent Progress status to be meeting held included each Trimester Report  GESU to develop templates for environmental social  Partially achieved assessments reports  GESU/BP  Nov.15, 2013  Draft content including IEE and other developed review and compliance monitoring reports Under social and environmental action (ii)  Achieved  DOR to approve medium-  GESU / BP /  DOR approval for  DOR approved term budget for Planning and business plan by end Business Plan in Nov. strengthening GESU Design Branch October 2013 2013 25 of 41 Next Step Responsibility Deadline Status  BP to allocate dedicated budget from the share of 5%  DOR approval of of budget head 337-320-4  BP/GESU/DOR  Achieved budget by Oct.31,2013 with authorization in name of Unit Chief, GESU Under social and environmental action (iii)  Social and environmental  Not achieved  Mobilized by Nov. consultants to support GESU  GESU  Mobilization by 3rd 30,2013 engaged week of Feb expected. Cross cutting action (i)  DOR to report on complaints received via  DOR/  Not achieved  Dec 31, 2013 GRM and actions taken in Divisions  GRM trials ongoing trimester reports Cross cutting action (ii)  Not achieved  Toolkit review completed on 5th Jan,  BP to hold toolkit feedback  Final review by mid-  BP 2014 and revision workshop November, 2013,  Awaiting BP’s approval by end-Feb. 2014 Disbursement Linked Indicators  Not achieved  Procurement process on-going for 37  BP to procure design bridges (in evaluation services of additional 56  Design Consultants on  BP stage) urgent major maintenance board by Oct31, 2013,  BP has note decide on bridges the procurement methods for remaining 19 bridges.  BP to confirm whether 19  Partially achieved bridges identified for minor  DROs, BP  Mid-November, 2013  Data from 7 DROs maintenance in FY 2012/13 received (out of 25). are completed or not  BP to confirm whether 19 bridges for minor  DROs, BP  Oct.31, 2013  Ditto maintenance in FY 2013/14 are identified or not  Partially Achieved  Preparation of  One bridge under document including DRO Biratnagar is cost estimate , tender under construction  BP to complete agreements document etc for  22 bridges are in of 29 new bridges under procuring design design stage appropriate procurement  BP services, civil works  For 6 bridges procedures including under Design and procurement design/build contracts option Build, and for bridges document preparation having design by under design and build Nov.15, 2013 option on-going. Note: next steps for DLIs 4, 5, and 6 included within action plan items 26 of 41 Next Step Responsibility Deadline Status Others  Partially achieved  NVC has completed draft ToR for Integrated Technical Audit:  BP, GESU and NVC to meet  BP has submitted the  BP, GESU, and finalize 3 year budget  Oct.31, 2013 list of bridges under NVC plan including TOR construction to NVC  BP has requested (on 16th Jan. 2014) NVC to prepare an annual program (total budget 3million NPR)  Partially achieved  Construction Supervision Support Engineer, Structure Engineer and Hydrologist engaged (total 3 in number).  Notice of Letter of Intent for 6 Social Mobilizers published  Evaluation of EoIs submitted by Procurement and  Project Support Consultants  Mobilize by end- Contract Management  BP engaged December, 2013 Expert, Geotechnical Engineer and 5 Construction Supervision Support Engineer completed.  Candidates for post of Procurement and Contract Management, and Geotechnical Engineer could not meet the set criteria. These positions need to be re-published.  Partially Achieved Dossiers of 20 bridges submitted (8 urgent major maintenance and 12 backlog  Submission of Dossiers for  Submit to NPC by bridges) DLI verification to NPC for  BP December 15, 2013  It appears that some of Year 1 the dossiers are incomplete, especially social and environmental sections. 27 of 41 ANNEX G: UPDATE ON PROGRAM DLIS DLI Period 2 targets Status Comments DLIs related to the achievement of PDO Indicator 1&2 Envisaged accomplishments  BP needs to take  Maintenance works of 32 up procurement of DLI-1: Completion of bridges (≈2000 metres) civil works of major maintenance of running since FY 2012/13/14 urgent major 2150 bridges on SRN maintenance to (cumulative metres)  56 bridges ( ≈ 2000 meters) to stay on track for take-up for procurement of achieving targets designs services in current FY in next FY Envisaged accomplishments  BP is finding difficulty to get  19 bridges (≈ 760 metres) to work completed complete in current FY data from  Additional 19 bridges ((≈ 760 divisions. Till metres) to complete from last now only 7 FY divisions have submitted such data. Compliance DLI-2: Completion of verification is still minor maintenance of 1400 to be carried out bridges on SRN by BP before (cumulative metres) compiling the Dossiers  BP is to come up with a strategy to design and implement the minor maintenance works quickly Envisaged accomplishments  Assessing completion data of 20 existing backlog bridges of  BP has taken 29 last FY (2012/13) bridges in FY DLI-3: New bridges  20 existing backlog bridges to 2013/14. built or improved on complete in current FY  However, BMS 2200 SRN (cumulative priority list is not metres)  13 new bridges (≈ 450 metres) followed while under construction since FY selecting these 2012/13 bridges  13 new bridges to procure civil works in current FY DLIs related to PDO Indicator 3 DLI-4: Strengthened performance  No action taken so management in bridge 20  See action plan update far sector (percent works complete on schedule) 28 of 41 DLI Period 2 targets Status Comments DLI-5: Improved  BMS installed in BMS fully Bridge Asset 7 Divisions operational in 15 Management  See action plan update  Orientation on divisional/ regional BIMP completed offices in all 5 Regions DLI-6: Increased Grievance redressal  GRM policy effectiveness of the mechanism approved by institutions responsible implemented in DOR MoPIT and for bridge sector and report disclosed translated into management detailing status of Nepali  See action plan update complaints and  GRM software is actions on fraud and being developed corruption and those with Bank’s help related to social and and is being environmental issues trailed 29 of 41 ANNEX H: AGREED NEXT STEPS Next Step Responsibility Deadline Comments  Project Development Indicator  The Bank team has been procuring  Funding secured, procurement baseline data process underway for study  WB collection team consultants.  A short-list will be available soon. Action Plan implementation Under technical action (i)  A server for hosting  Linked to DLI-5  DOR to arrange dedicated BMS for FY  Eventual aim is to server or hosting service for  DOR 2014/15 arranged by merge with DOR’s IT BMS 30th June, 2014 facility if possible  A medium-term contract for BMS  BP to procure medium-term software  Linked to DLI-5 contract for BMS software  BP maintenance and maintenance and updates updates procured by 30th June 2014.  Linked to DLI-5 BP is in process of  Training on BMS, hiring Nepal  Training program to include CMS, and other  Capacity building Administrative Staff basic training in BMS, CMS, software included in consultants College (NASC) to and other software the training program develop training by mid- April 2014 program by 28th Feb. 2014 Under technical action (ii)  Quality Assurance Plan  DOR/BP  On-going process implemented by DOR  Training program (see below)  During annual  Capacity building to include materials on lab training period & consultants operations / specific tests annually thereafter Under technical action (v)  Capacity Building Consultants  EoI published by  BP/RSDP engaged 16th Feb. 2014 Under fiduciary action (i)  EoI for Audit  BP to engage and mobilize Consultant  BP internal audit consultant republished by 16th Feb. 2014 Under fiduciary action (ii)  WB to support BP with  MoF and NPC development of 5 year bridge-  Planning and endorse the 5-year by-bridge investment plan and Design Branch, bridge-by-bridge to seek MoF and NPC BP and WB investment plan by endorsement end- May 2014. 30 of 41 Next Step Responsibility Deadline Comments  Public disclosure of 5 year  Public disclosure bridge-by bridge investment  Planning made by June 15, plans based on BMS including Branch/BP 2014 approved annual program Under fiduciary action (iii)  DOR planning branch to  Register maintained maintain register of by Planning Branch  Planning and procurement unit chiefs and to and included in Design Branch include this within trimester trimester reports reports  On-going process Under fiduciary action (iv)  All outstanding audit  DOR Audit  > 40% by end of FY observations from 2009/10 to Committee 2014 be addressed Under social and environmental action (i)  DOR/BP implement revised  On-going process ESMF incorporating into  Social and bridge Project Implementation environmental Cycle (PMC) and ensures measures in inclusion of ESMF through currently running 32  BP/GESU review/ acceptance and urgent major compliance monitoring by the maintenance GESU till release of Defect contracts Liability Period (DLP) incorporated by mid- Certificate March, 2014  BP and GESU maintain close coordination for effective implementation of revised  BP and GESU meets ESMF by conducting formal every month and the  BIMP Coordinator meeting at least once in a  BP/GESU decisions are prepared the meeting month with maintaining minuted agenda minutes. Progress status to be included each Trimester Report  GESU to develop templates  To be commenced for environmental social from Feb. 28, 2014 assessments reports including  GESU/BP after the engagement IEE and other review and of individual compliance monitoring reports consultants Under social and environmental action (ii)  BP to allocate dedicated  Annual program and budget from the share of 5% budget allocated  Awaiting NPC’s of budget head 337-320-4 with  BP/GESU/DOR with authorization to clearance authorization in name of Unit GESU by mid- Feb. Chief, GESU 2014 Under social and environmental action (iii)  Social and environmental  Consultants consultants to support GESU  GESU mobilized by 16th engaged Feb. 2014 31 of 41 Next Step Responsibility Deadline Comments Cross cutting action (i)  DOR to report on complaints  Linked to DLI-6 received via GRM and actions  DOR/ Divisions  By 31st March 2014 taken in trimester reports Cross cutting action (ii)  BP to hold toolkit feedback  Toolkit approved by  Linked to DLI-4  BP and revision workshop 28th Feb., 2014 Disbursement Linked Indicators  Design Consultants for 37 bridges on- board by 28th  BP to procure design services Feb.2014 of additional 56 urgent major  BP  Linked to DLI-2  Procurement issues maintenance bridges of 19 bridges resolved by 15 Feb., 2014  BP to confirm whether 19 bridges identified for minor  Information received  Linked to DLI-2  DROs, BP maintenance in FY 2012/13 by 16th Feb. 2014 are completed or not  Procurement of civil  BP to complete agreements of works completed 29 new bridges under (including those  DLI-3 appropriate procurement  BP under design and procedures including build option ) by design/build contracts option end-May, 2014 Note: next steps for DLIs 4, 5, and 6 included within action plan items Others  ToR approved by 16th Feb. 2014  3 year budget plan  BP, GESU and NVC to meet for NVC based on and finalize 3 year budget plan  BP, GESU, NVC BIMP 5-year including TOR investment plan approved by end of June 2014  6 Social Mobilizers are on-board by 16th Feb. 2014  5 Construction Supervision Support Engineers are on- board by end- March  Project Support Consultants  BP 2014 engaged  Procurement and Contract Management expert and Geotechnical Engineer are on- board by mid-April, 2014 32 of 41 Next Step Responsibility Deadline Comments  Dossiers (20 Year 1 retroactive new bridges and 19 minor  Submission of Dossiers for maintenance) DLI verification to NPC for  BP bridges are compiled Year 1 and submitted to NPC by end-Feb., 2014 33 of 41 ANNEX I: FIELD VISIT NOTES A team of Government and World Bank officials visited two major maintenance bridges sites in Kathmandu Valley on January 21, 2014 and two completed new bridges in Gorkha District, Central Region on January 22, 2014. A list of the participating officials is attached at the end of this Annex. The bridge details and the field visit observations are provided below. Urgent Major Maintenance Works: Bridge Site -1 Bridge No. 26H016-001 Road Link/ Kathmandu Valley Ring Road Name Bagmati River Bridge, River Name District Kathmandu at Tilganga On-going Urgent Major Maintenance works (DLI-1), contracted on February BIMP Status 2013 and scheduled to complete by March 2014 RCC (Chinese built Bridge Type Span (m) 3 x17 m =51m precast beams) Consultants (Naya Designed and Rastriya Engineering. Final Payment Final payments are yet to be Supervised by Amount (NPR) made Consultancy ) Nature of Works:  Scour protection works on river floor to reduce further exposure of bridge foundation bore piles  Side embankment protection works Notes: Design(as described by Consultant’s Engineer and observed at site) Conventional design with reinforced concrete check-dam and siltation floor. Alternate options could have been explored for long term protection measures. One of the options could be the extensive use of bio-engineering works. At present, the design does not include the bio- engineering works. Work Quality Working environment in Bagmati River is most polluted. Maintaining quality by the Contractor is challenging. No Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) has been developed. The site supervision team, including the consultant’s engineer and contractor’s supervisor, is not aware of the QAP. Safety at Work  Health and Safety : Workers safety at site has been observed to be poor (e.g. workers have been observed not to have any protective gears, including gloves, helmets, boots). It has been informed that these items are not a part of BoQ.  Uncontrolled Stockpiling of Construction Materials: Construction materials (including boulders) have been found to have been stockpiled haphazardly. This may have serious safety implication in an urban environment. Urgent Major Maintenance Works: Bridge Site -2 34 of 41 Bridge No. 26-H003-002 Road Link/ Name Arniko Raj Marg section of ring road Bagmati River Bridge at River Name District Kathmandu Tinkune On-going Urgent Major Maintenance works (DLI-1), contracted on February BIMP Status 2013 and scheduled to complete by March 2014 RCC RCC (Chinese built precast Bridge Type Span (m) 85m (5x17m) beams) Designed and Consultants (Naya Rastriya Final Payment Final payments are Supervised by Engineering. Consultancy ) Amount (NPR) yet to be made Notes All issues were very similar to maintenance Bridge Site -1. And both the bridges are under same contract package Existing Backlog Bridge Site-1: Bridge No. 36-F184-002 Road Link/ Name 11 Km -Chhepetar- Bhaluswara Barpak Road Daraunde Khola River Name District Chhepetar, Gorkha Bridge BIMP Status Completed on January 11, 2012 Bridge Type RCC T-Beam Span (m) 88 Estimate Amount 46,963,049.19 Final Payment 58,809,303.71 with vat and (NPR) Amount (NPR) price adjustment Notes Work Quality Workmanship has been found to be poor. Left RCC-T girder of the 1st span has visibly sagged. The construction quality of railings has been poor. Safety  Pedestrian Safety: Design has missed to consider basic safety for pedestrian users. There is no footpath on either side. The bridge is most unsafe for pedestrians particularly for school going kids. It is 88m long giving tunnel vision.  Traffic Signs Inadequate traffic signs have been noticed in bridge approaches. A single lane bridge requires adequate traffic signs  Railing Post Standard design height for bridge railing is 1.1m (above footpath). Railing height of less than 1.0m has been observed, which may be a safety concern.  Expansion Joints Sealing of the expansion joints between two deck slabs cannot be ignored. The gaps at the deck 35 of 41 slabs joints are not sealed and the gap is wide enough for fetal accident particularly with school going kids.  Other Bridge site has been found to be untidy. This means that the site clearance has not been performed by the contractor although it is one of the general activities in every BoQ. Social Issues  Land Acquisition: Consultation with local people revealed that the some land under the ownership of a local school might have been acquired. They do not know of any private land being taken for the bridge. However the dossier (shared by DOR) shows that land required for the bridge was obtained through voluntary land donation. If private land was obtained for the bridge, it needs to be regularized as per government rules. Environmental Issues: a comparison between the dossier information and site observation are provided below. Informatio Actual n provided S.No Activities condition in Remarks by BP/ the field DOR 1. Practice of enforcement of legal Yes No Disposals 0 limit to control illegal off-loading observed on of river bed materials at the bridge both the bridge location abutments 1. River protection works including Yes No Slopes not 1 river training works and bio- maintained and engineering works carried out as no bio- per design and budget available engineering works done 1. Project quarry sites rehabilitated as Yes No Quarry site not 2 per contract agreement and if visible in the necessary, administrative measures vicinity of the get introduced to avoid bridge- difficult unauthorized use of quarry sites to screen without prior review of contract documents 1. Construction storage sites and Yes ?? Difficult to 3 equipment yards of the screen without Contractor(s) cleared as per prior review of contract agreement to the contract acceptable standard documents 1. Natural river flow reinstated after Yes No Natural river 4 clearing temporary river diversion, flow not traffic diversion and false works reinstated, considerable scouring observed in the right bank- 36 of 41 1. Traffic sign installed and pedestrian Yes No No foot path 5 footpath incorporated in the provided and bridge(as per design) the railings not as per the recommended standard 1. Clearing ROW and reducing Yes Yes 6 congestion to bridge approaches(to enhance visibility and avoid accident) carried out 1. Community consultation carried for Yes No Dumping of 7 protection of bridge structure gravels, mud including to avoid dumping of local and materials market waste in proximity of bridge seen on both site the abutments Existing Backlog Bridge 2: Bridge No. 36-F184-003 Road Link/ 11 Km -Chhepetar- Name Bhaluswara Barpak Road Bhusunde Khola River Name District Chhepetar, Gorkha Bridge BIMP Status Completed on March 11, 2012 Simply supported Bridge Type Span (m) 22 girder Estimate Amount 1,53,62,352.50 Final Payment 1,60,42,975.67 (NPR) Amount (NPR) Notes Work Quality Workmanship appeared to be better than Daraunde Khola Bridge. Safety  Road and Pedestrian Safety: There is no footpath for pedestrians, No adequate traffic signs have been observed at bridge approaches. Social Issues  Land Acquisition: The road and the bridge passes through cultivated land. Although the dossier (Shared by DOR) says that land has been voluntarily donated, there is no evidence attached with it to support it. It was found that the affected household member (whose land was taken by the bridge) and a local person were also not clear about the land acquisition procedures. If private land has been taken as part of the bridge construction process then this needs to be regularized. Environmental Issues: a comparison between the dossier information and site observation are provided below. S.No. Activities Scored by Actual Remarks 37 of 41 BP/DOR condition in the field 1.1 Practice of enforcement of legal limit Yes Yes to control illegal off-loading of river bed materials at the bridge location 1.2 River protection works including river Yes No No bio- training works and bio-engineering engineering works carried out as per design and works budget available observed 1.3 Project quarry sites rehabilitated as per Yes Yes Quarry site contract agreement and if necessary, not visible in administrative measures get introduced the vicinity of to avoid unauthorized use of quarry the bridge- sites difficult to screen without prior review of contract documents 1.4 Construction storage sites and Yes ?? Difficult to equipment yards of the Contractor(s) screen without cleared as per contract agreement to the prior review acceptable standard of relevant documents 1.5 Natural river flow reinstated after Yes Yes clearing temporary river diversion, traffic diversion and false works 1.6 Traffic sign installed and pedestrian Yes No No foot path footpath incorporated in the bridge(as provided per design) 1.7 Clearing ROW and reducing Yes Yes congestion to bridge approaches(to enhance visibility and avoid accident) carried out 1.8 Community consultation carried for Yes No protection of bridge structure including to avoid dumping of local market waste in proximity of bridge site Field Visit List of Participants Name of Participants Designation Project Director, Bridge Project, Mr. Umesh Jha Department of Roads BIMP: Coordinator Bridge Project, Mr. Dipak Shrestha Department of Roads Project Manager, 11Kilo-Chhepetar- Mr. Sushil Babu Dhakal Bhaluswara Barpak Road Project, Department of Roads Mr. Naresh P. Keshari Engineer, Bridge Project, Department of 38 of 41 Roads Engineer, Bridge Project, Department of Ms. Sabina Ranabhat Roads Mr. Dominic Patella Transport Specialist, The World Bank Ms. Annu Rajbhandari Environmental Specialist, The World Bank Social Development Specialis, The World Ms. Rekha Shreesh Bank t Mr. Vishnu Prasad Shrestha Consultant, The World Bank Field Photographs Voids in concrete deck 39 of 41 Failures near bearing location Visible lack of quality control Railing shorter than DOR specifications 40 of 41 “smile” in girder due to insufficient support during concrete pour 41 of 41