Report No: ICR00070

                    INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT AND/OR
                                INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

                            IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION AND RESULTS REPORT
                                           IDA Cr. 6317-NP
                                                  ON A
                                                 CREDIT

                                   IN THE AMOUNT OF SDR 83.97 MILLION
                                      (US$118.21 MILLION EQUIVALENT)

                                                   TO
                                                  NEPAL

                                                  FOR THE
                            Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program
                                           PROGRAM-FOR-RESULTS
                                             December 24, 2024




Transport Global Practice
South Asia Region
The World Bank
Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                             ICR DOCUMENT


                                   CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS

                             (Exchange Rate Effective July 15, 2024)

                               Currency Unit =    Nepalese Rupee (NPR)

                                  NPR 133.75 = US$1

                                     US$1.33 = SDR 1

                                          FISCAL YEAR
                                        July 1 – June 30




                 Regional Vice President:     Martin Raiser
                       Country Director:      David N. Sislen
                       Regional Director:     Pankaj Gupta
                      Practice Manager:       Fei Deng
                   Task Team Leader (s):      Hisham Mahmoud Fouad, Deepak MS Shrestha
                   ICR Main Contributor:      Shubu Thapa
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      Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                  ICR DOCUMENT



ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS


 ACCESS           Accelerating Transport and Trade Connectivity in Eastern South Asia - Nepal Phase 1 Project
 ADB              Asian Development Bank
 ADM              Accountability and Decision Making
 BB               Bridge Branch
 BIMP             Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program
 BMS              Bridge Management System
 BoQ              Bill of Quantity
 BSMS             Bridge Site Monitoring System
 CMS              Contract Monitoring System
 CPF              Country Partnership Framework
 DATC             Design and Advanced Technology Cell
 DB               Design-Build
 DLI              Disbursement-Linked Indicator
 DoR              Department of Roads
 DRO              Division Road Office
 EA               Environmental Assessment
 EIRR             Economic Internal Rate of Return
 E&S              Environment and Safeguard
 ESMF             Environmental and Social Management Framework
 FMIS             Financial Management Information System
 GBV              Gender-Based Violence
 GESU             Geo-Environmental and Social Unit
 GoN              Government of Nepal
 GRM              Grievance Redress Mechanism
 HDM-4            Highway Development and Management-4
 ICR              Implementation Completion and Results Report
 ICT              Information and Communication Technology
 IDA              International Development Association
 IFSA             Integrated Fiduciary Systems Assessment
 IPF              Investment Project Financing
 IRI              Intermediate Results Indicator
 M&E              Monitoring and Evaluation
 MoF              Ministry of Finance
 MoPIT            Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport
 MTR              Mid-Term Review
 NCR              Non-Conformance Report
 NM               Narayanghat-Mugling
 NPC              National Planning Commission
 NPR              Nepalese Rupees
 NPV              Net Present Value
 NVC              National Vigilance Center
 OCHS             Occupational Community Health and Safety
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     Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)            ICR DOCUMENT


OHS              Occupational Health and Safety
PAD              Program Appraisal Document
PAP              Program Action Plan
PDO              Program Development Objective
PforR            Program-for-Results
PPMO             Public Procurement Monitoring Office
RA               Results Areas
RF               Results Framework
SBD              Standard Bidding Document
SEA              Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
SDC              Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
SDR              Special Drawing Rights
SH               Sexual Harassment
SOP              Standard Operating Procedure
SRCTIP           Strategic Road Connectivity and Trade Improvement Project
SRN              Strategic Road Network
ToC              Theory of Change
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            Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                                                             ICR DOCUMENT




                                                       TABLE OF CONTENTS
DATA SHEET ................................................................................................................................................. i
I.       PROGRAM CONTEXT AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES .....................................................................................1
II.      OUTCOME .......................................................................................................................................................5
III.     KEY FACTORS AFFECTED IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOME .......................................................................... 12
IV.      BANK PERFORMANCE, COMPLIANCE ISSUES, AND RISK TO DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME .................................... 14
V.       LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................................................. 18
ANNEX 1. RESULTS FRAMEWORK, DISBURSEMENT LINKED INDICATORS, AND PROGRAM ACTION PLAN .................... 21
ANNEX 2. BANK LENDING AND IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT/SUPERVISION .............................................................. 32
ANNEX 3. PROGRAM EXPENDITURE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 34
ANNEX 4. BORROWER’S COMMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 35
ANNEX 5. PROGRAM RESTRUCTURING DETAILS ........................................................................................................ 35
ANNEX 6. IPF ACTIVITIES STATUS .............................................................................................................................. 38
ANNEX 7. BIMP: KEY ACHIEVEMENTS AND LEARNINGS ............................................................................................. 39
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         Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                    ICR DOCUMENT




DATA SHEET

@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@icrpfrbasicdata#doctemplate
BASIC DATA

Product Information

Operation ID                                                  Operation Name
P161929                                                       Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program

Product                                                       Operation Short Name

Program-for-Results Financing (PforR)                         BIMP II

Operation Status                                              Approval Fiscal Year
Closed                                                       2019

IPF Component?
Yes
Original EA Category                                         Current EA Category
                                                             Full Assessment (A) (Restructuring Data Sheet - 14 Mar
Full Assessment (A) (Approval package - 26 Sep 2018)
                                                             2024)

CLIENTS


Borrower/Recipient                                            Implementing Agency
Nepal                                                         Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport


DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE

Original Development Objective (Approved as part of Approval Package on 26-Sep-2018)
To provide safe, resilient and cost effective bridges on Nepal's Strategic Road Network.


@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@icrfinancing#doctemplate
FINANCING




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          Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                              ICR DOCUMENT




RESTRUCTURING AND/OR ADDITIONAL FINANCING

                                         Amount Disbursed
     Date(s)                  Type                                                Key Revisions
                                         (US$M)
                                                             •   Results
                                                             •   Disbursement Estimates
  16-May-2022        Portal                          51.69   •   Loan Closing Date Extension
                                                             •   Loan Cancellations
                                                             •   Reallocations
                                                             •   Results
  31-Aug-2023        Portal                          62.07
                                                             •   Reallocations
                                                             •   Results
  14-Mar-2024        Portal                          68.01   •   Disbursement Estimates
                                                             •   Reallocations

@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@icrkeydates#doctemplate
KEY DATES


                       Key Events                                 Planned Date                    Actual Date

Concept Review                                                    26-Jun-2017                     26-Jun-2017

Decision Review                                                   30-Jan-2018                     30-Jan-2018

Authorize Negotiations                                            03-May-2018                     26-Apr-2018

Approval                                                          26-Sep-2018                     26-Sep-2018

Signing                                                                                           14-Nov-2018

Effectiveness                                                                                     03-Dec-2018

ICR/NCO                                                           14-Jan-2025                         --

Restructuring Sequence.01                                        Not Applicable                   16-May-2022

Restructuring Sequence.02                                        Not Applicable                   31-Aug-2023

Restructuring Sequence.03                                        Not Applicable                   14-Mar-2024

Mid-Term Review No. 01                                            29-Nov-2021                     29-Nov-2021

Operation Closing/Cancellation                                     15-Jul-2024                    15-Jul-2024


@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@icrratings#doctemplate


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       Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                    ICR DOCUMENT



RATINGS SUMMARY


              Outcome                             Bank Performance                         M&E Quality

Moderately Satisfactory                Moderately Satisfactory               Modest


ISR RATINGS

                                                                                                Actual Disbursements
 No.       Date ISR Archived                DO Rating                    IP Rating
                                                                                                       (US$M)
01        01-Mar-2019              Satisfactory                  Moderately Satisfactory                            0.00
02        16-Oct-2019              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                            5.10
03        17-Apr-2020              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                            5.10
04        30-Oct-2020              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        51.57
05        14-May-2021              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        51.69
06        10-Nov-2021              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        51.69
07        21-Mar-2022              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        51.69
08        25-Sep-2022              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        51.69
09        13-Oct-2022              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        51.69
10        31-Mar-2023              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        51.84
11        27-Sep-2023              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        62.07
12        22-Mar-2024              Moderately Satisfactory       Moderately Satisfactory                        68.01


@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@icrsectortheme#doctemplate
SECTORS AND THEMES


Sectors
                                                                              Adaptation            Mitigation
       Major Sector                          Sector                  %
                                                                             Co-benefits (%)      Co-benefits (%)
FY17 - Information and
Communications                 FY17 - ICT Infrastructure                 2                  0                  21
Technologies
                               FY17 - Public Administration -
FY17 - Transportation                                                    5                 40                   0
                               Transportation



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                          FY17 - Rural and Inter-Urban Roads      91                  43         4

                          FY17 - Urban Transport                   2                  50        50


Themes
     Major Theme                      Theme (Level 2)              Theme (Level 3)         %
FY17 - Environment and                                         FY17 - Adaptation                42
Natural Resource         FY17 - Climate change
Management                                                     FY17 - Mitigation                 5
FY17 - Human
Development and          FY17 - Gender                                                           1
Gender

FY17 - Private Sector    FY17 - ICT                            FY17 - ICT Solutions              4
Development              FY17 - Public Private Partnerships                                      2

                         FY17 - Road Safety                                                     13
                                                               FY17 - Rural
                         FY17 - Rural Development              Infrastructure and               75
FY17 - Urban and Rural                                         service delivery
Development                                                    FY17 - Public Transport          82
                         FY17 - Urban Development              FY17 - Urban
                                                               Infrastructure and               75
                                                               Service Delivery




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 ADM STAFF


  Role                                    At Approval                            At ICR
  Practice Manager                        Karla Gonzalez Carvajal                Fei Deng

  Regional Director                       Franz R. Drees-Gross                   Pankaj Gupta

  Global Director                         --                                     Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge

  Practice Group Vice President           Makhtar Diop                           Guangzhe Chen
  Country Director                        Qimiao Fan                             David N. Sislen
  Regional Vice President                 Hartwig Schafer                        Martin Raiser

  ADM Responsible Team Leader             Dominic Patella                        Hisham Mahmoud Fouad
  Co-Team Leader(s)                       Oceane Keou                            Deepak Man Singh Shrestha

  ICR Main Contributor                   Shubu Thapa


I. PROGRAM CONTEXT AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES
    A. CONTEXT AT APPRAISAL AND THEORY OF CHANGE

Context
1.      At appraisal in 2018, Nepal's economic growth had averaged 4.3% over the previous decade but remained
vulnerable to shocks such as the 2015 earthquakes and the 2017 floods. Nepal's physical and economic integration
relied heavily on the Strategic Road Network (SRN), which was crucial to ensure year-round connectivity between the
provinces. Given Nepal's challenging topography, bridges were essential for connecting different sections of SRN roads,
enabling access to social services and markets, and supporting poverty reduction efforts, particularly in rural areas. The
2017 monsoon floods highlighted the vulnerability of many bridges, especially along the East-West Highway, indicating
that Nepal's SRN system, without resilient bridges, would face severe connectivity disruptions under climate
uncertainty. Furthermore, as climate change was expected to bring significant changes in weather patterns, increasing
risks of extreme precipitation and landslides, strengthening the resilience of Nepal’s road and bridge network through
resilient engineering designs was assessed to be vital. In addition, robust maintenance systems were regarded essential
for resilience and cost-effectiveness of the assets built.

2.     The SRN, comprising over 12,000 km of roads and 1,700 bridges, was assessed as incomplete and inadequate,
with over 372 identified gaps totaling over 18,000 meters that required new bridge construction for improved all-
weather connectivity. SRN roads and bridges lacked adequate safety features, resulting in 15.9 deaths per 100,000
people annually as estimated by the World Health Organization in its Global Status Report on Road Safety, 2018.
Improving the design and construction of bridges for inclusive and safe access was expected to enhance development
outcomes from bridge investments in Nepal. The cost of building bridges along all identified gaps on the SRN was
approximately US$216 million, equivalent to 1% of Nepal’s 2016 Gross Domestic Product. The aging bridges increasingly
required maintenance and replacement. Additionally, a notable gender gap was evident in the transport sector, with
women being underrepresented in engineering and management positions.

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                Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                  ICR DOCUMENT


3.    The Department of Roads (DoR) under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) manages
the development and maintenance of SRN roads and bridges. The Bridge Branch (BB) of the DoR manages bridge assets
with support from regional Bridge Sectors. The DoR’s program of bridge investment accounted for approximately
US$60–70 million of spending per year and included maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of 78,169 m of SRN
bridges, in addition to the ongoing construction of 15,710 m of new SRN bridges, and over18,861 m of gaps that require
new SRN bridges over the medium term.

4.      Prior to the SRN bridge program, the bridge initiatives using project-style approaches only succeeded in
building bridge assets but could not establish the institutional mechanisms required for planning and managing long-
term maintenance. The overall budget for bridge activities was allocated without distinguishing between dedicated
activities such as maintenance and new construction. These allocations were subject to ad hoc prioritization, often
driven by political expediency, resulting in maintenance activities receiving scant attention compared to new
construction. The lack of clear institutional mandates and opaque planning and funding mechanisms for bridge
development led to a proliferation of bridges on non-priority routes, over-procurement, and under-completion. The
Program-for-Results (PforR) instrument was deemed suitable to address these issues by enabling the use of systems
and processes that the DoR would deploy for planning and managing SRN bridge infrastructure. Under the International
Development Association (IDA) supported first Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (BIMP)1, bridge asset
management systems were developed, and bridge activities received the necessary priority and funding.

5.      Building on success of the BIMP, the Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (BIMP-II) was
designed to support the Government of Nepal’s (GoN) effort to further enhance Nepal's transport sector, while
utilizing and strengthening the government systems developed and tested under the BIMP. The PforR instrument was
considered appropriate as it enabled the Program to focus on strengthening government systems and capacity building
based on measurable results. BIMP-II incorporated learnings from BIMP and leveraged the Association’s extensive
experience in Nepal’s transport sector to provide comprehensive support for institutional development and advanced
project planning capabilities. The complementary Investment Project Financing (IPF) component aimed to bolster the
capacity and institutional development of the DoR. The Program relied on the use of the Bridge Management System
(BMS) mobilized under BIMP to help prioritize bridge interventions for maintenance and new construction based on a
multi-criteria formula that considers need and criticality, thereby positively impacting asset life, travel time, and the
number of beneficiaries. Data from the BMS also provided an overall description of the DoR’s SRN bridge assets for
planning purposes. BIMP-II also considered areas of improvement identified in BIMP, such as improving the quality of
physical works and consistent field-level supervision; strengthening the governance system around contract
management through design-build (DB) approaches; and enhancing Environmental and Social (E&S) compliance,
including labor risk management and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) measures2.

6.      The objectives of BIMP-II were closely aligned with the GoN’s comprehensive program of bridge investments
that was designed to enhance the resilience and inclusiveness of bridge designs, while addressing both current and
future needs. The Program’s focus areas included the maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of about 78,000
meters of SRN bridges, alongside the ongoing construction of over 15,000 meters of new SRN bridges. In line with the
government’s vision, the operation aimed to enhance the network's resilience to climate change with timely
maintenance, and improve road safety features, while also addressing the gender gap in the transport sector. The
Program focused on developing the DoR’s institutional capacity for adapting bridge design, construction, and
maintenance to climate change and developing guidelines and updating the Bridge Policy and Strategy (2004) to include
resilient features. Overall, the sectoral and institutional context of Nepal's bridge infrastructure underscored the critical

1   BIMP: Approved in 2012 and closed in 2017 with a Satisfactory outcome rating
2   BIMP: Key achievements and learnings are provided in Annex-7

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                                                                            Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                                                                                 ICR DOCUMENT


need for continued investment and development to ensure reliable connectivity, support economic activities, and
promote inclusive growth.

7.     The Program was well aligned with the World Bank Group’s Nepal Country Partnership Framework (CPF) FY19-
233. The key strategic priorities of the CPF were to: strengthen public institutions for effective economic management
and service delivery by building the capacity of key transport sector institutions and improving infrastructure
maintenance, safety, and quality; support private sector-led jobs and growth by enhancing transportation connectivity
within Nepal and with India, facilitate economic activities and job creation; and promote inclusion and diversity by
developing advanced bridge designs that enhance resilience and inclusion, particularly for non-motorized modes of
transport, benefiting marginalized groups.

Theory of Change (Results Chain)
8.    The Theory of Change (ToC) for the Program has been developed for this Implementation Completion and Results
Report (ICR) based on the Program description in the Program Appraisal Document (PAD).

                                                                                                                                                            Figure 1. Theory of Change

                                                                                           Res l s A ea                        A         es                                    O p s                          e   e a eO       o es           al O   o e


                                                                                                                     Applica on of road safety measures
                                                                                                                     on bridges
                                                                                                                      isual signs, re ec ve markers,
                                                                                                    es




                                                                                                                     warning signals installed                    Road safety upgraded on Program bridges
                                                                                                 Safe




                                                                                                                                                                    ,11 m D I‐2                              Re   e l el oo of oa
     Recruitment of female engineers in DAT Training programs technical, S, iduciary etc




                                                                                                                     Prepara on of guidelines on safety
                                                                                                                                                                  Bridges upgraded with road safety visual    epa   e as es o
                                                                                                                     works
                                                                                                      B




                                                                                                                     Road safety audit                            signs 100 bridges                            o a       es
                                                                                                                     Road safety awareness programs
                                               es N support for technical audit




                                                                                                                    Prepara on of guidelines on resilient
                                                                                                                   bridges                                                                                                                       Safe
                            Prepara on of SDB contrac ng documents




                                                                                                       es




                                                                                                                      pda ng of Bridge Policy with focus                                                                                        es l e
                                               S policies guidelines
                              Implementa on of online GMR system




                                                                                                                                                                   2 number of advanced bridge designs       E a e oR s apa l es
                                                                                                 Res l e
                                 se of BSMS for uality monitoring




                                                                                                                   on resilient approach                           prepared                                  fo e elop es l e
                                                                                                                     rea on of Design and Advanced
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  l s e
                                                                                                                                                                   DAT established and e uipped                 e es s
                                                                                                 B




                                                                                                                   Technology ell DAT                                                                                                          a     os
                                       Impact evalua on I




                                                                                                                    Trainings on advance bridge designs                                                                                        e e e
                                                                                                                   and new technologies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      es
                                                                                                                                                                  Ma or maintenance implemented , m                                            e a e
                                                                                                                      lements for maintenance                      D I‐1
                                                                                                  Cos e e e




                                                                                                                                                                                                             Roa se os sa e
                             Prepara on of




                                                                                                                     re uirements embedded into bridge            New bridges constructed , 26 m D I‐
                           e elop e A




                                                                                                                                                                  Backlog bridges completed ,660m D I‐         po e a    o e                     Nepal s
                                                                                                        es




                                                                                                                     works
                                                                                                                     Introduc on of new technology on                                                           es    e SRN                     S ae
                                                                                                                     maintenance new construc on                                                                                                  Roa
                                                                                                    B




                                                                                                                     bridges
                                                                                                                     Trainings and best prac ces                                                                                                Ne o
                                                                                                                                                                  Technical audit of 1 2 bridges completed
     Capa




                                                                                                                                                                  SDB guidelines prepared approved D ‐  I6
                                                                                                                                                                                                             S e    e e o e all
                                                                                                                                                                   , 0 entries recorded in BSMS D ‐   I
                                                                                                                                                                                                             o a a o al a    e      al
                                                                                                                                                                  GRM response me reduced to 10 days
                                                                                                                                                                        women engineers recruited trained
                                                                                                                                                                                                              apa l es
                                                                                            ritical Assumptions: i oN continues nancial support to its               S policy, guideline manual approved
                                                                                            ridge program iii oR s capacity in place to manage overall               no of relevant trainings delivered
                                                                                           Program      S procurement duciary etc. iii technical                  DoR s R sta survey completed
                                                                                            nancial support to NP for third party veri cation to Is.              Baseline data for the I collected



Program Development Objective (PDO)
9.                                       The PDO is to provide safe, resilient, and cost‐effective bridges on Nepal’s Strategic Roads Network.


3
    Report No. 121029-NP

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              Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                        ICR DOCUMENT



Key Expected Outcomes and Outcome Indicators
10.       The key outcomes and PDO level indicators are shown in table 1.
                                                 Table 1. Key Outcomes and Indicators
              Outcome                                              Outcome indicators
                                   PDO 1: Reduced likelihood of road departure crashes on Program bridges (number of
                                   safety upgrades on Program bridges)
 Provide safe, resilient and cost-
                                   PDO 2: Enhanced DoR capabilities for developing resilient bridge designs (number of
 effective bridges on Nepal’s
                                   advance bridge designs prepared)
 SRN
                                   PDO 3: Estimated-road user cost savings achieved by Program interventions (Cost
                                   saved from Program intervention)

Program Results Areas and DLIs
11. The Program comprised three Result Areas (RAs): (a) RA 1: Providing safe bridges, (b) RA 2: Providing resilient
bridges, and (c) RA 3: Providing cost-effective bridges. It also included a key area to enhance the beneficiary feedback
system. The seven Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) used to trigger disbursement are shown in table 2.

                                               Table 2. Disbursement Linked Indicators
   Components/                                 Activities                                        Result Area
        DLIs
  DLI 1              Major bridge maintenance                                         RA 3: Cost-effective bridges
  DLI 2              Road safety upgrades on bridges                                  RA 2: Safe bridges
  DLI 3              New two-lane bridge construction, rehabilitation, and            RA 3: Cost-effective bridges
                     replacement of bridge
  DLI 4              New four-lane bridge construction                                RA 3: Cost-effective bridges
  DLI 5              Completion of backlog bridges under construction                 RA 3: Cost-effective bridges
  DLI 6              Improved fiduciary governance of design‐build contracting        Contributing to all three RAs
  DLI 7              Bridge Site Monitoring System (BSMS) use on Program worksites    Contributing to all three RAs
12. PforR Components/DLIs (at appraisal US$133 million IDA, and US$63.01 million counterpart funds; at completion
US$112.17 million IDA, and US$53.74 million counterpart funds). These activities supported achievement of the PDO
through the three RAs.

13. IPF component. The IPF component (at appraisal US$14.15 million IDA, at completion US$1.06 million IDA)
comprised the components/activities as shown in table 3:

                                                            Table 3. IPF Activities
    Components                                                       Activities
  IPF 1              Preparations for future projects on the SRN
  IPF 2              Technical auditing by National Vigilance Centre (NVC)
  IPF 3              Advanced bridge designs for enhanced resilience and inclusion (RA 2: Resilient bridges)
  IPF 4              Training (domestic and international) and capacity development
  IPF 5              Supervision oversight consultancies
  IPF 6              Mobilization, equipage, and development of the Design and Advanced Technology Cell (DATC)
                     (RA 2: Resilient bridges)
  IPF 7              Support for     S and DoR implementation of Nepal’s abor Act 201
  IPF 8              Contingency funding for verification after Year 3
  IPF 9              Program impact evaluation data collection

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               Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                              ICR DOCUMENT


       B. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES DURING IMPLEMENTATION

14. The operation was restructured in May 2022, August 2023, and March 2024, as summarized in table 4.
Details of these restructurings are provided in Annex-5.
Revised PDO indicator, DLIs, Results Framework (RF), and Program Action Plan (PAP)
15. The target for PDO 2, which pertains to advanced bridge designs, was reduced from 10 to 2, while PDO 3
was dropped due to an unclear methodology for measurement.

                                                        Table 4. Summary of Restructurings
     S. No.          First Restructuring:                  Second Restructuring:                        Third Restructuring:
                           May 2022                              August 2023                                 March 2024
         1. DLIs 3 and 5: Targets and funds         DLIs 1 and 5: Targets and funds      DLIs 1 and 5: Targets and funds allocation
            allocation increased                    allocation increased                 increased
         2. DLI 4: Dropped                          DLI 7: Verification protocol revised IPF 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9: Funds reallocated
         3. DLI 7: Verification protocol revised    IPF 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9: Funds      PDO 2: Target reduced
                                                    reallocated
         4. IPF 4, 8 and 9: Funds reallocated       PDO 2: Target reduced                RF and PAP: Targets and actions adjusted
         5. RF and PAP: Targets and actions         PDO 3: Indicator dropped             Financing Agreement: Amended to add GoN’s
            adjusted                                                                     budget heads for DLI disbursement eligibility

         6. Cancellation: Cancellation of           RF and PAP: Targets and actions                              —
            US$15.06 million from the IPF           adjusted
            component
         7. Extension: Closing date extended                         —                                           —
            by a year to July 15, 2024
Rationale for Changes and their Implication for the Original Theory of Change
16. The restructurings were primarily necessitated due to the slow progress of IPF activities and their inability
to utilize the allocated funds, and well performing DLIs that exceeded the initially targets set. Adjustments were
made to the PAP to account for implementation delays. The RF was modified to revise targets and update the
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework, including correcting some indicator descriptions. The original
Program scope and intended outcomes, however, remained unaffected, and the Program ’s ToC remained valid.

II. OUTCOME
       A. RELEVANCE

Relevance of PDO - High
17. The BIMP-II PDO remains aligned with the World Bank Group’s Nepal P for FY19 – 23, extended to FY24 by the
Performance and Learning Review4. The PDO mainly contributed to Focus Area 1: Strengthened institutions for public
sector management and service delivery; and Focus Area 2: Private sector led jobs and growth through (a) Increased
transport connectivity; (b) improved maintenance, road safety, and quality of infrastructure; and (c) capacity building
of key institutions in the transport sector. In addition, BIMP-II contributes to Focus Area 3: Inclusion and resilience,
through the development of advanced bridge designs that provide for enhanced resilience and inclusion. BIMP-II’s
contributions included enhancing the capacity of key institutions in the transport sector; improving service delivery; and

4   Report No: 168048-NP. A new PF is under preparation.

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           Second Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (P161929)                                    ICR DOCUMENT


public investments at both national and sub-national levels; increasing transportation connectivity, which is crucial for
economic activities and private sector growth; and building greater resilience against climate change, natural disasters,
and other exogenous shocks by supporting the development of advanced bridge designs that enhance resilience and
inclusion.

18. BIMP-II is also aligned with the GoN’s Fifteenth Development Plan (FY2019/20 to FY2023/24), which aimed to
construct bridges in national and provincial highways to minimize the impact and damage from natural calamities and
climate adversities, and undertake the regular, occasional, and periodic maintenance of bridges, as well as the Sixteenth
Development Plan (FY2024/25 to FY2028/29), which has a target of constructing 515 bridges.

Relevance of DLIs - Substantial
19. The DLIs were designed to enhance connectivity and institutional performance, aligning with the prioritized
needs of the government. They ensured adequate fund flows for Program implementation based on achieved results.
The DLIs were clearly defined, with specific verification protocols and timelines. The verification mechanisms, evaluation
methodology, responsibility matrix, annual allocations, and the minimum and maximum DLI values required to trigger
disbursements were detailed in the verification protocol. The DLIs were specific, strategic, and largely achievable.

Alignment of DLIs with the PDO and Results Framework
20. DLI 1 (Major Maintenance), DLI 3 (New Construction Bridges), and DLI 5 (Completion of Backlog Bridges). These
DLIs collectively contributed to RA 3 to deliver cost-effective bridges, accounting for approximately 80% of the IDA
allocation. The DLI targets were linked to the RF to assess achievement of the PDO. The maintenance activities were
expected to extend the life of bridge assets, while the completion of the backlog bridges and construction of new bridges
were expected to reduce road user costs.

21. DLI 1 was to be achieved through various trainings and the deployment of innovative technology for major
maintenance works to address vulnerabilities and aging assets. The bridges were to originate from the BMS prioritized
list, based on critical data such as condition, detour time, and beneficiaries. The completion of works required
compliance with the maintenance elements set out in the PAD. The original target and funds allocation were revised
upward through two restructurings.

22. DLIs 3, 4, and 5 incentivized bridging the gap in connectivity by constructing and completing new bridges thereby
reducing travel distance, detour time, and vehicle fuel consumption, ultimately resulting in cost savings for road users
and beneficiaries, which aligned to the PDO. The candidate bridges under DLI 3 were required to originate from the
BMS priority list and to meet the GoN’s bridge design and safety requirements outlined in the PAD. DLI 5 was eligible
for works with construction contracts signed before the Program's effectiveness and demonstrated compliance with
the Program’s procurement, environmental, social, and technical standards. The targets and funds allocation for both
DLIs 3 and 5 were increased through two restructurings, due to their meeting of original targets and utilizing allocated
funds. DLI 4 was dropped through restructuring as the construction of four-lane bridges were included in the IDA-
financed Strategic Road Connectivity and Trade Improvement Project (SRCTIP, P170409). The cancelled funds were
distributed to DLIs 3 and 5.

23. DLI 2 (Road Safety Upgrades on Bridges) focused on enhancing safety features on vulnerable bridges, thereby
contributing to RA 1 of safe bridges, and accounted for about 15% of the IDA allocation. It was well aligned with the RF
to assess the progress of the PDO achievement. The candidate bridges under this DLI were identified through road safety
audits, and the implementation of works was governed by the bridge-related road safety elements outlined in the PAD.


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24. DLI 6 (DB Contracting Approach) and DLI 7 (Use of BSMS) were designed to foster institutional development,
thereby contributing to the enhanced effectiveness of the Program’s results. They were strategically relevant to address
the inherent institutional challenges impacting the PDO outcome, although they were not part of the indicators in the
RF. The funds allocated to these DLIs provided adequate incentives for improving institutional performance and results.

25. DLI 6 accounted for about 2% of the IDA allocation and supported the development of documents and guidelines
under the DB contracting approach to integrate into the national regulation framework. The definition and completion
measures were straightforward, the verification protocol was clearly stated, and the target was achievable. With the
future approval of the guidelines through the public procurement regulation, fiduciary governance of DB contracting is
expected to be strengthened. This will enhance the PDO outcome by improving contract management, ensuring timely
completion of works and achieving better quality, as well as cost-effectiveness in civil works.

26. DLI 7 accounted for about 3% of the IDA allocation and contributed to the enhanced use of BSMS. The extensive
use of this tool is expected to address the inherent challenges of overall program management and quality monitoring
and contribute to improving the quality of civil works, and thereby significantly supporting the sustainability of the PDO
outcome. The definition and the verification protocol for this DLI were revised through two restructurings to refine the
original versions.
Overall Relevance Rating
27. The overall relevance is rated Substantial. The PDO and the DLIs were relevant to the World Bank's strategy for
the country and supported the government’s development priorities throughout the Program period. Four DLIs, which
accounted for more than 90% of the IDA allocation, focused on indicators that provided evidence of continued progress
toward achieving the PDO. The other two institutional DLIs, which accounted for around 5% of the allocation, triggered
institutional development activities that are expected to enhance the effectiveness of the overall Program results. As
noted earlier, DLI 4, which was no longer relevant to the Program, was cancelled through restructuring, and the funds
were reallocated to support the well-performing DLIs 3 and 5.

       B. ACHIEVEMENT OF PDOs (EFFICACY)

    Assessment of Achievement of Each PDO Outcome
    28. The operation supported the GoN’s bridge program in developing and maintaining bridge infrastructure in
    the SRN in line with the Bridge Policy and Strategy (2004), focusing on : (a) road safety upgrades on existing bridges,
    (b) construction of new bridges, (c) completing bridges under construction, (d) major bridge maintenance, and (e)
    capacity development and institutional strengthening activities for the preparation and supervision of civil works. The
    Program’s efficacy (that is, achievement of the PDO) is assessed by evaluating achievement of each of the three
    Program RAs: improved safety, improved resilience, and cost effectiveness of bridges. These were to be achieved
    through sound technical design, adoption of new technologies, and quality monitoring system, along with activities
    aimed at enhancing institutional capacity. One of the key areas of the Program was the enhancement of the beneficiary
    feedback monitoring mechanism. The IPF component and the PAP were complementary activities designed to support
    the overall achievement of the PDO. The detailed status of the PAP and IPF activities are provided in Annexes-1 and 6,
    respectively.

    29. RA 1: Safe Bridges. (Inputs/IRI5: DLI 2). The Program initially aimed to upgrade safety features on approximately
    18 bridges—covering a total length of 8,000 meters—to prevent road transport related crashes on the SRN. During
    implementation, the government preferred to focus on a larger number of shorter span bridges mostly on the North-

5   Intermediate Results Indicator

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    South Highway and partly on the East-West Highway. Accordingly, more than 100 bridges were upgraded for a
    combined total length of 8,118 meters. The upgraded bridges included reflective markers, warning signals, crash
    barriers, and other road safety features essential for guiding motorized and non-motorized road users, especially
    during inclement weather conditions. These upgrades supported the traffic management system, improved pedestrian
    and community safety, and nighttime visibility at approaches to the bridges. No incidents were reported on the
    upgraded bridges during the Program period.

    30. The IPF component supported the delivery of various trainings and awareness programs on bridge safety for the
    DoR staff. It also extended technical support for the development of guidelines for implementation of road safety works
    on bridges, which are currently being reviewed by the MoPIT and are expected to be endorsed in due course.

    31. T e o a ’s safety outcome is rated High, based on the above discussion, and overachievement of the
    targets of the relevant indicators, as summarized in table 5.
                                                               Table 5. RA 1: Safe Bridges
     Indicator Name                            DLI             Baseline        Original Target    Final Revised      Achieved at
                                                                                                      Target         Completion
     PDO 1: Reduced likelihood         DLI-2               0                  18                 Not revised      >100 bridges
     of road departure crashes                                                                                    upgraded
     on Program bridges
     IRI 1.1: Road safety              DLI-2               0                  8,000 m            Not revised      8,118 m
     upgrades on Program
     bridges
    32. RA 2: Resilient Bridges. (Inputs/IRI: IPF activities). The Program supported the establishment of the DATC to
    pioneer advanced technologies to enhance the resilience and inclusiveness of bridge designs. It facilitated the
    engagement of international bridge engineering expertise and approaches, provided engineering inputs and trainings,
    and promoted the sharing of best practices on climate resilience and mitigation measures. Initially, 10 bridge designs
    were identified for development with advanced features. At completion, the DATC developed two bridge design
    concepts for the Narayani Bridge and the Bijaypur Bridge, which incorporated advanced features for enhanced resilience
    and inclusion under the guidance of an international bridge expert, based on geotechnical, hydrological, and E&S studies
    and assessments. A series of trainings were provided to the DoR engineers, contractors, individual consultants, and staff
    of the engineering institute. For the remaining bridges, the GoN decided to develop: three bridges through the IDA-
    funded SRCTIP (P170409) and ACCESS (P177902)6, two bridges under projects funded by the Asian Development Bank
    (ADB), two bridges using its own funds, and the 10th bridge was dropped.

    33. The Program updated the Bridge Policy with an additional focus on a resilient systems approach. The draft of
    the updated policy is awaiting approval from the Policy Department and is expected to be subsequently endorsed by
    the MoPIT in due course. The Program also supported preparation of guidelines on the hydrology and hydraulics
    standards, as well as river training works for bridge designs7.

    34. The o a ’s resilient outcome is rated Modest, based on the above discussion and the extent of
    achievement of the indicator targets, as summarized in table 6.




6   Accelerating Transport and Trade onnectivity in astern South Asia-Nepal Phase 1 Project
7   https://dor.gov.np/uploads/pu lication/pu lication_1642584636.pdf

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                                                      Table 6. RA 2: Resilient Bridges
                       Indicator Name                   Baseline       Original        Final Revised     Achieved at Completion
                                                                        Target            Target
      PDO 2: Enhanced DoR Capabilities for                 0               10                2           2 advanced bridge
      developing resilient bridge designs                                                                designs prepared
      IRI 2.1: DATC created                                0         One time           Not revised      DATC staffed/mobilized
      IRI 2.2: Number of times that DoR engineers          0           10                2 (revised      2 times DoR engineers
      mobilized skills in the designing of advanced                                      indicator       mobilized skills in the
      bridges for improved resilience and                                               description)     designing of advanced
      inclusion                                                                                          bridges
      IRI 2.3: Female engineers recruited in the          6%            33%             Not revised                41%
      DATC and given advanced skills training

35. RA 3: Cost-effective bridges. (Inputs/supporting activities are: DLIs 1, 3, and 5). Regular maintenance of the
bridges extends their useful life, thereby reducing the need for costly repairs and early replacement. The construction
of new bridges and the completion of the backlog bridges are expected to improve connectivity, reduce travel distance,
travel time, and transportation costs for motorized road users, pedestrians, cyclists, and communities. This approach
enhanced resilience, extended the life of the assets, and prevented failures.

36. The bridges selected for major maintenance and new construction under the Program were identified through
the BMS and were expected to significantly impact asset life, travel time, and the number of beneficiaries. The
achievement of the objective of providing cost-effective bridges was assessed through economic analysis conducted on
major maintenance (DLI 1), construction of new two-lane bridges (DLI 3), backlog bridges (DLI 5), and safety upgrades
(DLI 2). As the Highway Development and Management-4 (HDM-4) model to determine cost savings of road users—that
was used at appraisal—did not have a clear methodology, it was dropped during the restructuring. The completion
stage economic analysis is based on the approach and methodology followed during the processing stage, including the
unit rates of vehicle operating cost and travel time estimated through the Road Economic Decision. The economic
analysis demonstrated that these activities extended the life of the bridges by using modern technology and improved
connectivity, benefited users of the SRN, and resulted in a higher economic net present value (NPV) of US$321 million.
Table 7 summarizes the results of the economic analysis. The economic internal rates of return (EIRRs) of the DLI based
bridges are between 29.1% to 56.9%. The overall EIRR of 48.6% is significantly higher than the social discount rate
threshold of 12% used at Program preparation/appraisal. The NPV and EIRRs achieved during implementation are higher
than assessed at appraisal, mainly due to increased traffic volume on the completion of Program interventions.
                                               Table 7. Summary of Economic Analysis
             Details                  DLI 1: Major       DLI 2: Road     DLI 3: New 2-                DLI 5:         Combined
                                         bridge            safety          lane bridge            Completion of
                                      maintenance         upgrades        construction           backlog bridges
 Number of completed bridges         59                110              52                       90                 311
 Length of completed bridges
                                   5,839                8,118                4,426               8,660              27,043
 (meters)
 Completed cost (US$/meter)        2,838                2,148                8,769               4,363              4,090
 Benefiting traffic - 2024
                                   17,294               4,618                2,163               5,363              7,359
 (Number of daily vehicles) *
 EIRR (%)                          29.10                30.10                56.90               48.90              48.60
 Benefit - cost ratio              2.60                 2.44                 6.52                6.83               5.67
 * Note: Based on the average per bridge for traffic benefitting from the respective DLIs.



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    37.       Table 8 summarizes the extent of achievement of each RF indicator target.
                                                     Table 8. RA 3: Cost-Effective Bridges
                      Indicator Name                DLIs     Baseline       Original       Final Revised   Achieved at Completion
                                                                             Target            Target
        PDO 3: Estimated Road user cost savings      —          0        > NPR 2,971         Dropped              Dropped
        achieved by Program Interventions                                   million                        (See proxy used above)
        IRI 3.1: Implementation of high priority    DLI 1       0           4,500 m           5,700 m             5,839 m
        maintenance to extend asset lives
        IRI 3.2: Completion of backlog bridges to   DLI 5       0          5,000 m           8,565 m              8,660 m
        reduce road user costs
        IRI 3.3: Construction of new bridges to     DLI 3       0          4,000 m           4,400 m              4,426 m
        reduce road user costs

    38.       T e     o a ’s cost-effective outcome is rated High, based on the above assessment.

    39. As indicated in the ToC diagram, the institutional DLIs and IPF activities contributed to strengthening
    organizational and technical capabilities and achieving effective results under the three Program RAs.

    •      Improved fiduciary governance system of DB contract (DLI 6). The Program facilitated the preparation of standard
           documents and guidelines for DB contracts, which have been endorsed by the MoPIT and are awaiting approval of
           the Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO). With an improved fiduciary governance system for DB
           contracting, designs are expected to be finalized timely and construction expedited, leading to better quality work.
           This is expected to contribute to the PDO outcome by enhancing the quality and efficiency of the contract
           management.
    •      Use of BSMS for monitoring sites (DLI 7). The increased use of BSMS on the Program sites ensured regular and well-
           documented site supervision. This, in turn, enhanced overall Program management and the quality of bridge works,
           thereby contributing to achievement of the PDO.

    40.       The contributions of the IPF component and the PAP are summarized below:

    •      Technical audit. The NVC carried out technical audits on 152 bridges under the Program and issued 283 non-
           conformance reports (NCRs), of which 83 have been addressed by the DoR. The remaining NCRs are expected to be
           addressed in the near future.
    •      Advanced bridge designs. The IPF supported the development of design standards, guidelines, and engineering
           designs. These were used by the DoR to design two advanced bridges and are expected to be applied in future
           designs.
    •      Establishment and mobilization of the DATC. The Program supported the creation of the DATC, which led to the
           development of advanced bridge designs for enhanced resilience and inclusion. The Program equipped the DATC
           with logistics support, facilities, trainings, software, advanced laptops, computers, smart boards and furniture.
    •      Support to improving OHS in bridges works. The Program supported the development and approval of OHS Policy,
           Manual8, Guidelines9, and updated DoR’s nvironmental and Social Management ramework (ESMF). During the
           COVID-19 pandemic, the DoR introduced Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for construction sites with support
           from international organizations.


8       oR OHS Policy
9       oR OHS guidelines

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•   Trainings. The Program delivered 37 training events on technical, social, environmental and fiduciary aspects that
    benefitted DoR officials, engineers, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders. In addition, DoR’s human
    resource staff survey was conducted as part of the broader organizational development objective to assess its
    organizational structure and devise a human resources strategy to enhance the Program’s human capital
•   Impact evaluation. The baseline survey for 150 bridges was completed to assess the impact of the Program bridges,
    which is expected to inform future prioritization, investment initiatives, and donor involvement strategies for the
    bridge program. The World Bank is in discussion with the GoN to conduct the endline evaluation under the proposed
    BIMP-III.

41. PAP. The PAP helped the Program strengthen measures to address risks relating to the technical, fiduciary, and
environmental/social systems. The key actions of the PAP included: (a) enhancing the DoR’s ability to design resilient
bridges, supervising their construction, and grounding the overall Program in a sound planning/policy framework; (b)
strengthening the DoR’s fiduciary control over bridge works c) helping the DoR leverage technology to monitor and
report on contracts and financial transactions faster and more accurately; (d upgrading the DoR’s ability to plan and
implement measures to mitigate key social and environmental risks; and (e) supporting the DoR to attract, retain, and
develop technical staff.

Rating of Overall Efficacy
42. The overall efficacy is rated Substantial, based on the above discussions and the ratings of achievement of RAs
1, 2, and 3 as High, Modest, and High, respectively.

    C. JUSTIFICATION OF OVERALL OUTCOME RATING

43. The overall outcome of the Program is rated Moderately Satisfactory, based on the sub-ratings of relevance
and efficacy as Substantial, and the rating of achievement of RA 2 as Modest.

    D. OTHER OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS

Gender
44. The Program recognized the significant under-representation of women in the Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics professions in Nepal, particularly in the transport sector and provided advanced skills training to
female engineers in the DoR to support their prospect for career growth. Against the target of at least 33% of the recruits
in the DATC being female engineers, by the end of the Program the female representation in the DATC was 41%. These
women were provided advanced technical training in several key areas, including bridge design, bridge structural
engineering, geotechnical engineering, and hydrology. In addition, trainings on Gender Based Violence (GBV)/Sexual
Exploitation and Abuse (SEA)/Sexual Harassment (SH) were conducted in five field clusters for 125 participants, including
technical and administrative staff, field staff, and contractors, which emphasized integrating gender sensitivity and
protective measures in infrastructure projects and highlighted the need to educate all employees on these issues.

Poverty Reduction and Shared Prosperity
45. The Program supported the development and maintenance of bridges along the SRN to improve year-round
connectivity, which is crucial for economic integration and access to markets and services, especially in rural areas.
Without resilient bridges, climate uncertainty could disrupt connectivity, impeding poverty reduction in Nepal’s rural
areas from social, physical, and economic perspectives. Hence, bridges play an important role in eradicating poverty
and boosting shared prosperity. In addition, the effort is expected to aid in poverty alleviation by benefiting pedestrians
and cyclists through inclusive designs and road users by reducing transportation costs and improving access to public

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services. The Program emphasized equitable access for indigenous peoples and vulnerable groups by ensuring their
inclusion and participation in stakeholder consultations during planning and implementation. With enhanced
connectivity, reduced costs, and improved access, the Program contributed to poverty reduction and shared prosperity.

III. KEY FACTORS AFFECTED IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOME
  A.       KEY FACTORS DURING PREPARATION

46. The Program focused on addressing the key challenge of providing year-round connectivity in the SRN by
emphasizing bridge maintenance, replacement, and new construction works. Efforts were made to strengthen the
government’s capacity to enhance the overall effectiveness of the Program. The Program was aligned with the priorities
of the World Bank Group Nepal CPF at appraisal. By addressing critical infrastructure needs, enhancing safety and
resilience, and promoting gender equality, the Program aimed to contribute to Nepal's sustainable development goals.

47. The Program built on lessons from BIMP. These included (a) using BSMS for rapid reporting and sharing of site
conditions and quality issues to improve field supervision and quality control, (b) verification of results under the
National Planning Commission (NPC) to assess Program performance, (c) utilizing BMS for improved asset management
and prioritizing investments, (d) implementing the online GRM system to ensure effective beneficiary feedback, (e)
capacity development to strengthen the DoR’s design capabilities, (f) integrating E&S compliance requirements in
engineering designs and bid documents to enhance E&S management, and (g) conducting technical audits by the NVC
to provide feedback on the quality of completed works and requiring corrective actions for non-compliant bridges. The
Program also partnered with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), which had provided funding to
BIMP to engage independent technical advisers to work with the NPC on verification.

48. The RF design was generally robust, with suitable IRIs supporting assessment of the PDO outcomes. Most
targets were measurable and outcome-focused, except for the PDO 3 indicators, which were removed during
restructuring due to unclear methodology. There were some weaknesses in M&E design, which are detailed in the M&E
section.

49. The DLI verification protocol was well structured with detailed procedures, clear guidelines, and
responsibilities outlined in the PAD. Specific protocols were defined for the different DLIs to evaluate their achievement
and for data/result verification. An independent verification agent was in place to verify and certify achievement of the
DLI targets.

50. The IPF activities were designed to support capacity building and institutional development, drawing on key
lessons from BIMP, which struggled with integrating international expertise in Program implementation. However,
these could have been better planned in terms of commitment/ownership from the implementing agency and in terms
of cost estimation during design—see changes to IPF activities in the section on Factors during Implementation.

51. The World Bank carried out the mandatory risk assessments on the Program’s key areas to confirm that the
government systems were appropriate for the World Bank financing under the PforR instrument. These included
assessments of the technical, fiduciary, and E&S systems. Areas requiring strengthening were identified as part of these
assessments and were included in the PAP. However, some actions in the PAP could not be completed during the
Program period and many of the completion measures and timelines had to be amended through restructuring.




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  B.       KEY FACTORS DURING IMPLEMENTATION

  (a) Factors Subject to Control of Government and/or Implementing Agencies:

52. Leadership and staffing. During the Program period, the Deputy Director General and the Project Coordinator in
the BB, DoR, who managed the Program, were replaced six and five times, respectively. There was no designated
Program Coordinator during the last quarter of the Program period. Inadequate staffing in the central and field offices
was repeatedly highlighted by the World Bank team during the Program’s implementation support reviews.

53. Poor inter-departmental coordination. The issue adversely affected pre-construction activities for the candidate
bridges, such as tree clearance, public utility relocation, and compensation to affected persons. Approximately 910
meters of the 11 pre-identified candidate bridge sites were dropped and the Program had to identify alternative bridges.

54. Budget allocation. Insufficient budget allocation by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) during the last quarter of the
Program led to delayed payments to contractors, significantly slowing down construction activities under DLI 1 and 2.
This jeopardized the submission of the final tranche of dossiers for DLI verification to the NPC. The issue was ultimately
resolved through the World Bank raising the matter with the MoF.

55. Implementation of IPF activities. The Program encountered challenges in utilizing IPF funds, particularly for
hiring consulting services for feasibility studies of future projects, introducing supervision consultancies to ensure the
quality of works, and hiring international consultants. These resulted from the delays in the initiation of procurement
and challenges in procuring consultants due to lack of qualified consultants and the inadequate participation from
qualified bidders. In addition, the costs of activities estimated during preparation were higher than the costs required
during implementation.

56. Delayed disbursement. Although the World Bank approved disbursements when the targets of DLIs were
achieved, the Program encountered a significant delay as the DoR did not submit withdrawal request of approximately
US$39 million (36%) of the IDA credit. This issue persisted for more than a year, primarily due to the lack of clarity among
various government agencies regarding the payment procedures for the PforR instrument.

57. Delays in third-party verification. The Program faced challenges in timely verification of results achieved and
certified by the NPC from four months to nearly a year, primarily due to frequent changes and a lack of orientation for
the NPC officials responsible for issuing the verification certificates.

58. BSMS use. The Program faced challenges in site engineers utilizing the BSMS tool for quality monitoring and
supervision of construction works. Despite the DoR management’s effort to make the BSMS mandatory for field users,
only 3,950 entries were recorded during the Program against the target of 5,000 entries.

59. Web based GRM. Implementation of the online GRM was affected by the lack of a dedicated person to track and
monitor grievances at the DoR level, and the scope of GRM response was reduced to only bridge-related complaints.

60. Extension of the closing date. The Program’s mid-term review (MTR) noted that some of the Program activities
were unlikely to be completed by the original closing date. Hence, the Program closing date was extended by one year.




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  (b) Factors Subject to the Control of the World Bank

61. The World Bank provided strong support for overall Program implementation, particularly in areas such as DLI
verification methodology, capacity building activities, monitoring of work progress and quality assurance, financial
management including internal and external auditing, monitoring of E&S aspects, and upgrading the BSMS. The World
Bank implementation support focused on assessing (a) progress in achieving DLI targets and the Program RF indicators,
(b) verification status of completed civil works, (c) the DLI matrix and verification protocols, (d) critical activities linked
to the PAP, and (e) assessing training needs and planning relevant training programs under the IPF components. The
task team conducted extensive discussions and consultations with the BB, DoR, MoPIT, and other related government
agencies such as the NPC and the NVC to better understand their needs and challenges. For the key challenges
highlighted above, the World Bank provided continuous support through coordination with the concerned government
agencies. The World Bank also provided support to the DoR in preparing policy documents to enhance the fiduciary
governance of DB contracting, including the Standard Bidding Document (SBD), Procurement Procedures, Financial and
Payment Procedures, and Contract Management Procedures for DB contracts.

  (c) Factors Outside the Control of Government and/or Implementing Agencies

62. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic affected most procurement, construction, and site visits for
DLI verification, and also resulted in delays in implementing several IPF activities and field-related tasks. The Program
developed a department-wide SOP for construction sites, which facilitated field activities based on the SOP protocols.
The World Bank team continued virtual discussions on critical agreed actions, progress under the PAP, and DLI
verification status. The World Bank released an advance of about 30% of IDA financing for the DLIs and related Program
activities to alleviate budget constraints of the GoN due to the delays in the DLI verification process. An amount of
US$15.06 million was cancelled from the IPF component to repurpose the funds for preparation of emergency response
to the national COVID-19 recovery efforts.


IV. BANK PERFORMANCE, COMPLIANCE ISSUES, AND RISK TO DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME
    A. QUALITY OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION (M&E)

M&E Design
63. The Program had specific, relevant and measurable targets and clear outcome and intermediate indicators
defined in the RF with appropriate M&E arrangements in place to assess the progress towards achieving the PDO;
however, there were some weaknesses in the RF design, as discussed below. The RF included three PDO level indicators
and seven intermediate indicators, including two IRIs to assess the effectiveness of the beneficiary feedback system.
The DLIs were well aligned with the PDO with clear definitions, measurable targets, and defined protocols and
methodology for monitoring and verification.

64. The achievement of the PDO RA: Safe bridges was assessed through achievement of DLI 2, which was output
focused. The assessment of achievement of this RA could have been strengthened by comparing incidents on Program
bridges before and after the Program interventions. The PDO RA: Resilient bridges had a well-defined PDO linked
indicator with a clear and measurable target, while the three associated IRIs were relevant and measurable, and
included a gender indicator. The indicator focused on the capacity strengthening result for the Program through IPF
support. However, the estimate of 10 bridges for advanced design was too ambitious and had to be reduced to two
through two restructurings of the Program. In addition, DLIs 1 and 3 could have been suitable IRIs to assess contribution
to this PDO RA. While achievement of the PDO RA: Cost-effective bridges was designed to be assessed using the HDM-

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4 model, this PDO indicator had to be dropped through restructuring as the methodology was unclear; the outcome
was instead assessed through the economic analysis at completion. The associated DLIs 1,3, and 5 were the IRIs to assess
progress toward achieving the intended results for this RA. These indicators were output based, clear, relevant, and
measurable. The Program also had a RA indicator to assess the beneficiary feedback system, which included two
relevant IRIs.
M&E Implementation
65. The M&E was generally implemented as designed. The achievement of DLI targets was verified by an independent
verification agency (NPC). The NVC also conducted technical audits and issued NCRs when necessary. However, the BB
did not submit the trimester report detailing overall progress. The weaknesses noted in the PDO indicators were not
fully addressed during implementation.
      •    GRM. The online grievance system registered complaints from communities, contractors, and stakeholders. The
           status of grievances registered was reported to the World Bank during implementation reviews.
      •    BSMS. This online tool enabled rapid reporting and sharing of site conditions and quality issues, and enabled
           the DoR leadership to track field visit frequency and supervisor observations.
      •    Technical auditing and supervision. Technical audits under the IPF component provided feedback on work
           quality and included spot checks and validation of site supervision.
      •    Impact evaluation. A baseline survey was conducted for the Program’s Impact valuation and the final
           assessment is expected to inform future prioritization, investment initiatives, and donor involvement strategies
           for upcoming bridge programs in Nepal.
      •    Anticipated beneficiaries. The Program collected and reported on the number of expected beneficiaries from
           the inclusive design concepts of the Bijaypur and Narayani River bridges.
      •    PAP. Activities carried out under the PAP provided data on the status of the follow-up actions to address risks
           identified in the Program assessments.
M&E Utilization
66. The Program used data, information, and reports from the M&E system to analyze progress and identify areas
requiring attention from the government and the World Bank through regular progress review meetings,
implementation support reviews, and the MTR. These reviews recorded agreed actions and follow-up mechanisms to
track progress towards the targets in the RF, including changes to the Program design, RF, and DLIs. These led to the
three restructurings discussed earlier. In addition, learnings from the BIMP-II M&E are being utilized to guide the design
of the M&E framework of the proposed BIMP-III.

Justification of Overall Rating of Quality of M&E
67.       The quality of M&E is rated Modest, based on the above discussion.

      B. ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND FIDUCIARY COMPLIANCE

Environmental and Social
68. The E&S risk of the PforR was classified as high, while the IPF component was assessed as Category A under the
World Bank safeguards policies. The operation had a satisfactory E&S implementation performance at closing. The
Program managed its E&S risks through an Environmental and Social Systems Assessment (ESSA) and adopted a road
sector wide ESMF. The ESMF was updated through the IPF component to address bridge-related risks and impacts, and
include provisions for OHS, labor management, child labor prevention, and capacity-building. The DoR has updated the
ESMF further to meet the requirements of multiple development partners, including the ADB. The ESMF is currently
awaiting endorsement from the Secretary, MoPIT.

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69. The Program actions on E&S ensured the adoption of site screening and the completion of the site-specific Brief
Environmental Study, the Initial Environmental Examination, and the Environmental Impact Assessment. A relocation
plan was implemented to compensate 24 individuals who owned 26 structures that were affected by road construction.
E&S oversight was managed by the Geo-Environmental and Social Unit (GESU), supported by specialized consultants on
environment, social, gender, and OHS. A three-year business plan was completed to strengthen GESU's capacity, and
adequate E&S staffing was maintained throughout Program implementation. E&S aspects were monitored regularly,
and reports were issued. A digital system was established for grievance management, and all complaints received have
been resolved. The Program also produced guidelines on OHS policies, SOPs for construction sites during the COVID-19
pandemic, and a safety plan for construction workers in national parks and buffer areas against tiger attacks.

70. Implementation challenges included significant delays in conducting and obtaining approvals for E&S studies and
poor inter-departmental coordination affecting tree clearance and utility relocation. GRM reporting lagged during the
latter stages due to the absence of a dedicated GRM desk officer. A key lesson is the need for dedicated funds for land
acquisition, structure relocation, and tree removal, as well as a dedicated GRM desk with an officer for continuous
oversight. Positive aspects of the operation included pre-construction readiness, prompt E&S screening, gate review
processes by GESU, training and capacity building, inclusion of E&S compliance costs in the Bill of Quantities (BoQ) and
supporting community programs. The World Bank’s           S team provided guidance to the client in implementing the
various E&S instruments and reporting on E&S matters.

Fiduciary
71. The BIMP-II Integrated Fiduciary Systems Assessment (IFSA) ensured that the fiduciary systems in place were
appropriate and were capable of supporting the Program's objectives while mitigating potential risks. The IFSA
mitigation measures helped ensure better financial management, procurement processes, and internal controls. The
DoR implemented financial reporting and accounting provisions, internal control procedures, and planning and
budgeting mechanisms according to the country system. At the end of Program period, the auditing procedures and the
audit follow up mechanism were made paperless through the Nepal Audit Management System. Financial reporting
became timely through the Computerized Government Accounting System and is based on Nepal Public Sector
Accounting Standards.

72. The Program prepared various guidelines and SBD for procuring DB Contracts under the national market
approach. The Program upgraded the web-based Contract Monitoring System (CMS), which was developed under BIMP.
However, the planned activity to carry out the contractor market assessment and development of the recommended
procurement strategy did not materialize. Procurement under the IPF component was hindered by the absence of a
dedicated focal person for procurement, leading to delays in the execution of procurement activities according to the
approved procurement plan and cancellation of a few activities due to the slow decision-making process.

    C.   BANK PERFORMANCE

Quality at Entry
73. The Program's focus on SRN bridges was strategically relevant to Nepal's economic integration, climate
resilience, road safety, and institutional strengthening, as well as for sustainable development and shared prosperity.
BIMP-II built on the success of the predecessor BIMP and was designed as a hybrid operation with an IPF component to
complement the PforR operation by strengthening institutional aspects, addressing gaps identified by the Program
assessments, and supporting Program implementation through technical assistance to the DoR. However, as discussed
under Key Factors during Preparation, the design of the IPF activities had some weaknesses.


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74. The World Bank team conducted assessments of the technical aspects. These included the policy framework,
program financing and the expenditure framework, economic aspects, and M&E), fiduciary systems, and environmental
and social systems to identify risks and develop a PAP to strengthen the government systems. These contributed to the
finalization of the RF and M&E arrangements. As noted in the M&E section, there were some weaknesses in the M&E
design.

Quality of Supervision
75. The World Bank conducted 10 implementation support reviews during Program implementation, averaging two
per year. The reviews typically included expertise in technical, environmental, social, and fiduciary management. The
World Bank team made numerous site visits to determine compliance with dossier requirements, check construction
quality and material test results, and verify compliance with E&S aspects. The fiduciary team helped reconcile the
Program Expenditure Framework with disbursements, despite staff turnover in the DoR. The gender team provided
additional support by developing training and awareness materials and conducting sessions on gender, GBV, and
SEA/SH. Additional Bank support was provided to upgrade the BSMS and facilitate its implementation at sites. For high-
level issues impeding implementation, such as budgeting, disbursement, human resources, and staff transfers, the
World Bank team followed up with the MoF for their timely resolution. Key issues, potential risks, and mitigation action
plans were candidly detailed in the Aide Memoires, Management Letters, and Implementation Status and Results
Reports. The World Bank team held monthly progress review meetings with the implementing agency to discuss the
status of agreed actions and followed up on pending issues. The status of the Program was discussed during the World
Bank’s joint annual portfolio reviews with the MoF and the MoPIT, with a focus on key actions required to achieve the
PDO. These were supplemented by bi-annual follow-up letters on agreed action points. The World Bank also engaged
in discussions with GoN to identify the follow-on operation, BIMP-III, which is currently under preparation.

76. Program implementation delays and issues with the DLI verification process were discussed during the MTR in
November-December 2021, following which the World Bank worked with the GoN to restructure the Program in May
2022. This mainly included reallocation of funds, a partial cancelation of IPF funds, and extension of the Program closing
date. Subsequently, based on the close reviews of the overall activity progress, the Program was further restructured in
August 2023 and March 2024, mainly to adjust various DLI targets and reallocate funds among the IPF components.
However, the task team missed the opportunity to address weaknesses in the M&E design during the restructurings.
Furthermore, the World Bank was unable to obtain the trimester report from the BB, which outlines the overall progress
of the Program.

Justification of Overall Rating of Bank Performance
77. The Bank performance is rated Moderately Satisfactory, based on the discussions above on the World
Ba ’s o      o s in ensuring quality at entry and quality of supervision.

      D. RISK TO DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME

78.     Below is a summary of the key risks to the sustainability of the Program outcomes assessed at completion:

  (a) The bridge program remains a critical priority for Nepal, as the SRN is a nationally significant network that
      cannot function without bridges. Bridge structures are fundamentally different from roads, involving unique
      technical considerations. Many critical linkages of the SRN require a high density of bridges to provide year-round
      access. BIMP and BIMP-II have facilitated a well-planned, prioritized, and rigorously monitored investment
      approach in bridges. Following successful implementation of these series of Programs, the GoN has requested
      the World Bank for continued support through BIMP-III. This support will be crucial to ensure that the SRN bridges

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        receive sufficient resource allocation and efforts to strengthen institutional capacity in delivering resilient, safe,
        and inclusive bridge infrastructure in Nepal.

    (b) To sustain the bridge assets created and maintained under the Program, it is essential to institutionalize bridge
        maintenance, road safety upgrades on bridges, and resilience measures in the GoN’s policies. Currently, the
        bridge budget is dedicated to the overall bridges program and not to specific maintenance works. To ensure
        regular routine maintenance, it will be critical to integrate bridge maintenance and road safety upgrades into the
        GoN's Annual Road Maintenance Plan with an allocation of the required annual budget. In addition, approval of
        the policies and guidelines updated under the Program will be essential to ensure sustainability of the developed
        infrastructure.

    (c) E&S aspects need to be considered during the early-design phases to aid in timely implementation of
        mitigation measures and resettlement action plans. For example, on bridges of Narayanghat-Mugling (NM)
        Road sections such as, Kali Khola, Tope Khola, and Namche, contractors excavated the road without considering
        landslide risks, causing road closures and potential slope failures. In some cases, bridges were built but could not
        be opened to traffic because approach roads were not constructed, and land compensation issues were
        unresolved. Nepal's bridge program also faces substantial delays due to limited hydrological and geotechnical
        investigations, necessitating changes during implementation and delaying schedules.

    (d) The guidelines for the DB contracting approach, developed by the Program, have been endorsed by the MoPIT,
        but are awaiting approval from the PPMO since February 2023. This delay has hindered implementation of the
        upgraded SBD for future DB contracts. A recent audit report raised objections to the DB contracts used by the
        DoR without PPMO approval and recommended adopting the standard document issued by the PPMO. It would,
        therefore, be essential to have the PPM ’s early approval of the guidelines to avoid future audit objections.

    (e) The DATC established through Program support, has created a platform within the government system to
        pioneer advanced technologies and implement innovative bridge designs. Following the Program closure, the
        DATC is operational only as and when there is a requirement for review or development of advance bridge
        designs. To ensure its sustainability, the DATC needs to be institutionalized through the GoN’s continued
        prioritization, commitment, and financial allocation to the DATC.

V. LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

79. Enhancing quality through coordination among key government agencies. The Program contributed to an
improved quality assurance mechanism in the government’s bridge program by fostering collaboration among three key
agencies on a single platform to deliver quality results: the implementing agency (DoR), the technical audit agency (NVC),
and the final verifying agency (NPC). The NVC’s capacity for quality monitoring could be further strengthened by providing
additional bridge-specific trainings to the technical auditors and expanding their scope to cover procurement, social,
environmental, and health and safety aspects. Furthermore, establishing a monitoring mechanism within the NVC take
timely actions on the pending NCRs will be crucial. The SD ’s technical and financial support during third-party verification
and development of OHS policy, guidelines, and manuals and their validation on-site was found to be helpful in achieving
the desired outcome. Continuation of such collaborative approach among the key agencies would yield sustainable
results and strengthened governance system and enhanced quality of bridge works.

80. Effectiveness of hybrid operations. The IPF component of BIMP-II proved challenging to implement due to its
attempt to support a wide range of initiatives. The experience from BIMP-II indicates that the IPF component could be

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better optimized if focused on developing institutional policies and guidelines, training, and capacity development;
strengthening technical audit mechanisms; providing technical support for third-party verification; and assisting during
operations of the IT system developed under the Program. Additionally, mobilizing international experts for the
assessment and specific maintenance of high-technology bridges would be beneficial. For instance, the recent massive
fire incident at the Karnali bridge (a cable-stayed bridge) in March 2024 underscores the need for the government to
conduct a detailed assessment and undertake necessary major maintenance, which is yet to begin.

81. Strengthening resilience measures. The severe impacts of climate change in Nepal, evidenced by the record-
breaking rainfall in September 2024 that damaged 11 bridges in the SRN10, underscores the importance of mainstreaming
and prioritizing resilience measures while updating the DoR’s hydrology and hydraulic analysis guidelines to account for
anticipated changes in climate parameters. Similarly, as evidenced on the NM road section, it is crucial to adopt mitigation
measures such as bioengineering and slope stabilization for protecting bridges from the high risks of slope failures.
Building on the developed resilience guidelines, the proposed BIMP-III should integrate the resilience measures into
bridge designs, construction, and maintenance, to ensure functionality under adverse conditions. These measures would
include (a) incorporating resilience into the bridge design standards and manuals, (b) establishing standard protocols in
the BMS for prioritizing bridge investment with resilience factors, and (c) applying the ESMF and other E&S manuals
across the DoR.

82. Promoting gender considerations in the DoR programs. The Program was successful in recruiting female
engineers and providing them advanced skill trainings, thereby enhancing their employment prospects in the technical
field. Building on this success, the proposed BIMP-III could encourage absorption of the trained female engineers within
the DoR by offering career counseling and facilitating connections with potential employers in the sector, thereby helping
female engineers secure jobs in the sector.

83. Use of a single-window system to optimize the operation and maintenance of existing web-based IT tools. The
IT systems developed under the Program, such as BMS, BSMS, GRM, and CMS, supported the government's efforts in
prioritizing investment, optimizing resources, strengthening M&E mechanisms, and enhancing the overall quality
supervision. However, the discrete application and timely updating of these tools are not receiving the required
attention. The proposed BIMP-III could help the DoR establish a single-window policy for these systems, with dedicated
operations and maintenance and M&E personnel at the central office to carry out timely updates and maintenance to
ensure their functionality. Additional system-related assistance could be provided to troubleshoot any issues that arise
during the operation of these tools to help mainstream these tools in the DoR.

84. The site supervision by the implementing agency needs improvement, as evidenced by the number of NCRs
raised by the NVC. This is due to the limited number of experienced key engineers in both the DoR and contractors’
teams. The proposed BIMP-III could support hiring qualified supervision consultants and adopting standard site
supervision templates and progress reporting documents. Additionally, increased efforts and mandatory measures to
utilize the BSMS tool, potentially integrating it with the CMS, could be formalized as part of the DoR staff’s Terms of
Reference with standard protocols for data management to enhance the overall supervision mechanism.

85. Establishment of proper record-keeping at the DoR. Considering the challenges of frequent staff turnover
resulting in implementation delays, the proposed BIMP-III can support the DoR in developing an IT-based system for
digitizing and electronically archiving administrative and technical documents, including designs, bidding, and contract



10
     https://www.dhm.gov.np/pdf ; oR Roads_Bridges Status

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documentation. Introducing a requirement under the DLI verification to fully document contract information of all
new bridges in the CMS could reduce the risk of information loss during staff transitions .

86. Establishing a procedure for budgeting and disbursements under the PforR instrument. The government must
establish a clear payment procedure under the PforR programs, as the absence of such procedures hinders the
disbursement process. It is essential to understand that payments made by the World Bank are contingent upon the
results achieved specific to the DLIs, and such payments may exceed the actual expenses incurred. Timely submission of
requests for the release of credit funds based on verified results is critical for the success of the proposed BIMP-III and
other PforR programs.

87. An extended programmatic support could be beneficial for building sector capacity and mainstreaming
innovative approaches. The World Bank's extended engagement in Nepal's bridge programs offers valuable lessons for
other countries with similar contexts. Initially, the focus of BIMP was on creating a robust institutional framework to
manage the bridge infrastructure effectively by setting up systems and processes to the country’s standards and
maintaining them regularly. Under BIMP-II, the Program evolved to address more complex challenges, such as enhancing
the resilience of bridges to natural disasters and incorporating climate resilience measures into bridge maintenance. The
World Bank's support was crucial in providing the technical expertise and financial resources needed to implement these
changes. The World Bank's engagement over an extended period of 10 plus years has helped build the capacity of local
institutions, enabling them to manage bridge infrastructure more effectively. This has not only improved the condition
and safety of bridges but has also contributed to the overall economic development of Nepal by improving connectivity
and facilitating the movement of people and goods.




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                               ANNEX 1. RESULTS FRAMEWORK, DISBURSEMENT LINKED INDICATORS, AND PROGRAM ACTION PLAN


@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@icrpfrresultframework#doctemplate
 A. RESULTS FRAMEWORK


PDO Indicators by PDO Outcomes

Safe Bridges
           Indicator Name                           Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)             Closing Period (Current)           Actual Achieved at Completion
                                          Result          Month/Year             Result          Month/Year          Result          Month/Year            Result         Month/Year
Reduced likelihood of road departure       0.00            July/2018             18.00            July/2023          18.00             Jul/2024            100.00           Jul/2024
crashes on Program Bridges             Comments on achieving targets        The Program exceeded the target by upgrading road safety visual signs on around 100 number of bridges.
(Number)                                                                     Source: Borrower’s I R, August 202
Resilient Bridges
            Indicator Name                          Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)             Closing Period (Current)           Actual Achieved at Completion
                                          Result          Month/Year             Result          Month/Year           Result          Month/Year             Result           Month/Year
                                           0.00            July/2018             10.00             July/2023           2.00             Jul/2024                 2              Jul/2024
Enhanced DOR capabilites for           Comments on achieving targets        The Program developed two (2) new bridge design concepts for Narayani and Bijaypur bridges under the DATC,
developing resilient bridge designs                                         incorporating advanced features for enhanced resilience and inclusion. The original target was revised twice: (i)
(Number)                                                                    second restructuring reduced to 4 number ii third restructuring reduced to 2 number Source: Borrower’s I R,
                                                                            August 2024)


Intermediate Results Indicators by Result Areas


Safe Bridges
           Indicator Name                           Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)             Closing Period (Current)           Actual Achieved at Completion
                                           Result              Month/Year        Result           Month/Year           Result           Month/Year            Result          Month/Year



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                                            0.00                July/2018       8,000.00           Jul/2023           8,000.00           Jul/2024            8,118             Jul/2024
Road Safety upgrades on Progam
Bridges (Meter(m))                     Comments on achieving targets        The Program exceeded the target by upgrading road safety features on 8,118 meters bridges. (Source:
                                                                            Borrower’s I R report, August 202
Resilient Bridges
           Indicator Name                           Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)             Closing Period (Current)          Actual Achieved at Completion
                                           Result              Month/Year        Result           Month/Year           Result          Month/Year            Result          Month/Year
                                            N/A                 July/2018         DATC             Jul/2020            DATC              Jul/2020      The DATC cell has       Jul/2024
                                                                            staffed/mobilized                    staffed/mobilized                       been created,
                                                                                                                                                          staffed and
                                                                                                                                                      mobilized as per the
Design and Advanced Technology Cell                                                                                                                    approved ToR and
created (Text)                                                                                                                                          notified through
                                                                                                                                                        DoR letter dated
                                                                                                                                                         July 13, 2021.
                                       Comments on achieving targets        The DATC was established/equipped with 18 numbers of members trained and mobilized. (Source: Fifth ISR AM;
                                                                            and Borrower’s I R report, August, 202
Resilient Bridges
           Indicator Name                           Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)             Closing Period (Current)          Actual Achieved at Completion
                                           Result              Month/Year        Result           Month/Year           Result          Month/Year            Result          Month/Year
                                            0.00                July/2018        10.00             Jul/2023             2.00             Jul/2024               2              Jul/2024
Number of times that DoR engineers
mobilized skills in the designing of   Comments on achieving targets        The Program conducted two (2) number of workshops during the design of two advanced bridges under the
advanced bridges for improved                                               DATC. The indicator definition was revised during the first restructuring as: Number of workshops completed by
resilience and inclusion. (Number)                                          DoR on the design of advanced bridges for improved resilience and inclusion (ex. consultancies/ DATC training).
                                                                             Source: Borrower’s I R report, August 202
Resilient Bridges
           Indicator Name                           Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)             Closing Period (Current)          Actual Achieved at Completion
                                           Result              Month/Year        Result           Month/Year           Result          Month/Year            Result          Month/Year
Female Engineers recruited in the       6.00            July/2018                >33.00            Jul/2023            33.00             Jul/2024            41.00             Jul/2024
Design and Advanced Technology Cell Comments on achieving targets           The Program recruited >33% of female engineers in the DATC and provided them with the advance skills
and given advanced skills training                                          trainings. Out of total 18 engineers recruited, 7 female engineers composed of 2 SDEs, 4 engineers, and 1
(Percentage)                                                                consultant Source: ifth ISR AM and Borrower’s I R report, August 202


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Cost Effective Bridges
           Indicator Name                        Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)               Closing Period (Current)            Actual Achieved at Completion
                                        Result              Month/Year        Result           Month/Year             Result           Month/Year             Result           Month/Year
                                         0.00                July/2018       4,500.00            Jul/2023            5,700.00            Jul/2024              5,839             Jul/2024
Implementation of high priority
maintenance to extend asset lives   Comments on achieving targets        The Program exceeded the target by implementation of major maintenance in 5,839 meters (59 number) of
(Meter(m))                                                               bridges. The original target was revised twice: (i) second restructuring increased to 5,000 meters; and (ii) third
                                                                         restructuring increased to , 00 meters Source: Borrower’s I R, August 202
Cost Effective Bridges
           Indicator Name                        Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)               Closing Period (Current)            Actual Achieved at Completion
                                        Result              Month/Year        Result           Month/Year             Result           Month/Year             Result           Month/Year
                                         0.00                July/2018       5,000.00            Jul/2023            8,565.00            Jul/2024              8,660             Jul/2024
Completion of backlog bridges to    Comments on achieving targets        The Program exceeded the target by completion of 8,660 meters (90 numbers) backlog bridges. The original
reduce road user costs (Meter(m))                                        target was revised thrice : (i) first restructuring increased to 6,500 meters (ii) second restructuring increased to
                                                                         7,300 meters (iii) third restructuring increased to , 6 meters Source: Borrower’s I R, August 202
Cost Effective Bridges
           Indicator Name                        Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)               Closing Period (Current)            Actual Achieved at Completion
                                        Result              Month/Year        Result           Month/Year             Result           Month/Year             Result           Month/Year
                                         0.00                July/2018       6,000.00            Jul/2023            4,400.00            Jul/2024              4,426             Jul/2024
Construction of New Bridges to
reduce road user costs (Meter(m))   Comments on achieving targets        The Program exceeded the target by construction of 4,426 (52 number) new bridges. The original target was
                                                                         increased to , 00 meters through first restructuring Source: Borrower’s I R Report, August 202
Beneficiary Feedback
           Indicator Name                        Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)               Closing Period (Current)            Actual Achieved at Completion
                                        Result              Month/Year        Result           Month/Year             Result           Month/Year             Result           Month/Year
Responsiveness to bridges related        31.20               July/2018        10.00              Jul/2023             10.00              Jul/2024              9.00              Jul/2024
complaints through the D R’s        Comments on achieving targets        The Program reported resolving of total 24 number of bridge related grievances in an average of 9 days within
Grievance Redress Mechanism                                              the Program period Source: Borrower’s I R report, August 202
(Days)
Beneficiary
           Indicator Name                        Baseline                     Closing Period (Original)               Closing Period (Current)            Actual Achieved at Completion



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                                             Result         Month/Year            Result          Month/Year            Result              Month/Year              Result       Month/Year
                                              0.00           July/2018        5,000.00             Jul/2023            1,000.00              Jul/2024               >1000         Jul/2024
                                         Comments on achieving targets    More than 1,000 people are expected to benefit from the inclusive design concept of the two advance bridges
Anticipated beneficiaries of inclusive                                    namely, Narayani and Bijayapur bridges. Further, the expected beneficiaries are disaggregated as: (i) Bijayapur
design concepts (Number)                                                  bridge: 22,850 male; 25,488 female; 1,969 vulnerable individuals (ii) Narayani Bridge:13,362 male and 13,986
                                                                          female; 1,826 vulnerable individuals. This original target was revised twice: (i) second restructuring reduced to
                                                                          2,000 number (ii) third restructuring reduced to 1,000 number. (Source: Environment and Social Screening
                                                                          Report based on CBS 2021 data of Narayani and Bijayapur Bridges, June 2024)



Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLI)


 Period                                                                                                        Period Definition
 Period 1                                                 July 15, 2019
 Period 2                                                 July 15, 2020
 Period 3                                                 July 15, 2021
 Period 4                                                 July 15, 2022
 Period 5                                                 July 15, 2023
 Period 6                                                 July 15, 2024


                              Baseline                       Period 1              Period 2             Period 3                 Period 4                Period 5             Period 6
 1:Major bridge maintenance (Meter(m) )                      Achievement Level:
 Original/Revised Value       0.00                           0.00                  750.00               1,000.00                 1,500.00                1,750.00             700.00
 Allocated Amount             0.00                           0.00                  2,181,288.00         2,908,384.00             4,362,576.00            5,089,672.00         2,035,868.80
 Actual Value                                                0.00                  0.00                 0.00                     3,200.86                1,259.17             1,239.97
 Actual Amount                                               0.00                  0.00                 0.00                     9,176,403.22            3,248,994.18         3,575,395.08
 2:Road safety upgrades on bridges (Meter(m) )               Achievement Level:
 Original/Revised Value       0.00                           0.00                  1,333.00             2,000.00                 2,222.00                2,444.00             0.00
 Allocated Amount             0.00                           0.00                  2,908,384.00         4,362,576.00             4,847,307.00            5,332,037.00         0.00
 Actual Value                                                0.00                  0.00                 0.00                     3,636.78                670.51               3,692.71
 Actual Amount                                               0.00                  0.00                 0.00                     7,809,137.91            1,164,689.15         7,678,044.39


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3:New 2 lane bridge construction, rehab., and            Achievement Level:
replacement of bridges (Meter(m) )
Original/Revised Value       0.00                        0.00                 0.00            1,150.00           1,750.00         1,500.00          0.00
Allocated Amount             0.00                        0.00                 0.00            10,145,412.99      15,438,672.00    13,233,147.00     0.00
Actual Value                                             0.00                 0.00            0.00               0.00             1,715.00          2,685.00
Actual Amount                                            0.00                 0.00            0.00               0.00             14,514,437.75     22,012,700.34
4:Completion of backlog bridges under construction       Achievement Level:
(Meter(m) )
Original/Revised Value       0.00                        1,685.00             1,685.00        3,130.00           0.00             800.00            1,265.00
Allocated Amount             0.00                        7,431,659.00         7,431,659.00    13,806,584.00      0.00             3,528,839.36      5,579,977.24
Actual Value                                             1,169.05             3,328.51        502.44             1,500.00         0.00              2,065.00
Actual Amount                                            5,103,206.50         14,420,695.68   2,176,809.32       6,498,716.70     0.00              8,398,960.90
5:Improved fiduciary governance of design-build          Achievement Level:
contracting (Text )
Original/Revised Value       No guidelines or standard                                                                            Standard
                             documents                                                                                            documents and
                                                                                                                                  guidelines
                                                                                                                                  submitted to
                                                                                                                                  PPMO
Allocated Amount            0.00                         0.00               0.00              0.00               0.00             2,000,000.00      0.00
Actual Value                                             0.00               0.00              0.00               0.00             1.00              0.00
Actual Amount                                            0.00               0.00              0.00               0.00             1,871,674.00      0.00
6:BSMS (mobile monitoring system) use on Program         Achievement Level:
worksites (Number )
Original/Revised Value      0.00                         730.00               1,138.00        1358.000.00        1,199.00         576.00            0.00
Allocated Amount            0.00                         547,500.00           853,500.00      1,018,500.00       899,250.00       432,000.00        0.00
Actual Value                                             0.00                 0.00            0.00               613.00           203.00            3,134.00
Actual Amount                                            0.00                 0.00            0.00               448,273.48       148,449.45        2,489,868.09


A. PROGRAM ACTION PLAN


Action                                                     Timing              Timing Value          Achieved?            Completion Measurement


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                                                                                                                  Initial milestone: At least 5 complete
All Program implementing units equipped with
                                                                                                                  BSMS reports filed per DRO and Bridge
mobile tablets and BSMS made operational in all                          Before Program
                                                      Other                                          No           Sector office. Measure of sustainable
Program implementing units including DROs, Bridge                          closure date
                                                                                                                  use: At least 5,000 verified entries in
Sector Offices, and Bridge Branch Headquarters.
                                                                                                                  BSMS by end of the program.
                                                      Initial Milestone completed. BSMS use is effective and useful with 5 reports per month per bridge
                                          Comments
                                                      are entered in BSMS. 3,950 verified entries in BSMS recorded.
                                                                                                                  (a) Endorsement of DATC ToRs by
The DOR to establish a DATC within Bridge Branch,                       Approximately 10-
                                                                                                                  Secretary of MoPIT through official letter
satisfactory to the Association, for insourcing a                        15 engineers or
                                                                                                                  to all DOR units; (b) Recruitment of the
fraction of bridge-related engineering tasks and      Other                 specialists              Yes
                                                                                                                  DATC cohort completed; and (c) Cohorts
developing the capacity of junior engineers, with a                      recruited within
                                                                                                                  to target not less than one-third female
particular focus on training and developing femal                        program period.
                                                                                                                  participants.
                                          Comments    Completed. 18 engineers (41% female) were trained and mobilized through DATC.
The DOR to update Bridge Policy and Strategy with
additional focus on resilient systems approach and                      Within end of the                           Official promulgation of updated Bridge
                                                      Other                                          No
the principles that will be applied to achieving                        Program period                              Policy and Strategy by MoPIT Secretary.
resilience in subsidiary plans.
                                                      Bridge policy is updated by DoR; it is now being finalized by the Departmental of policy and
                                          Comments
                                                      subsequently endorsed by MoPIT.
                                                                           Revised CMS
                                                                        software launched
                                                                        within 55 months.                           Confirmation letter from Director General,
The DOR to update CMS software and to relaunch
                                                                           All contracts                            DOR regarding re-launch of the updated
the updated MS The Program’s contracts and            Other                                          Yes
                                                                          details through                           CMS. All Program contracts to be covered
financial transactions will use the CMS.
                                                                          the CMS within                            under the CMS.
                                                                            end of the
                                                                         program period.

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                                                        CMS is updated with additional features. Some Programs contracts are covered under the CMS but
                                          Comments
                                                        not all.
D R’s outstanding audit observations up to Y
                                                                                                                 Approved Government of Nepal’s Audit
2017/18 and each subsequent fiscal year are
                                                                        Within end of the                        Management System (NAMS) to record
recorded annually and addressed as part of              Other                                       Yes
                                                                        Program period.                          audit observations to track action against
continuously monitored plan to reduce audit
                                                                                                                 addressing audit observation.
observations.
                                          Comments      Completed.
Prepare and approve the business plan for GESU for                      Within 12 months
                                                        Other                                       Yes          Business Plan approved by the DOR DG
the next three years.                                                   of effective date
                                          Comments      GESU three-year Business Plan has been approved by the Director General, DOR.
Revise bidding documents with distinct reflection of
costs for OCHS, environmental and social
management mitigation cost in the BoQs, and             Due Date           29-Sep-2018              Yes          Revised bidding documents in practice
inclusion of relevant provisions under the conditions
of contract.
                                          Comments      Bidding documents for D&B contract type and BoQ contract type have been revised.
The D R’s SM updated in whole or with
addendum) to include enhanced provisions relating                                                                Official approval of updated ESMF (in
                                                                        Within end of the
to OCHS, labor camp management, CE protocol,            Other                                       No           whole or with addendum) by the MoPIT
                                                                        Program period
provisions on the prevention of child labor,                                                                     Secretary and public disclosure thereafter.
provisions on prevention of GBV and SEA.
                                                        Final updated ESMF document forwarded to MoPIT on July 2024. Disclosure will be done after after
                                          Comments
                                                        its approval.
                                                                                                               Confirmation from the DOR DG of: (a) Set
                                                                        Within 12 months
Effectiveness of GESU                                   Other                                    Yes           up of functional team in GESU for OCHS
                                                                         of effective date
                                                                                                               and labor standards; (b) Approved

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                                                                                                                  organizational structure for GESU; (c) ToRs
                                                                                                                  defined for specialists; and (d) Specialists
                                                                                                                  in post and performing daily functions.
                                                     Functional team has been set up and working from BB. GESU organizational structure is in cabinet
                                          Comments
                                                     for approval process. Environmental and social safeguard specialist are on-board.
The DOR staff surveys to be completed using                           One surveys to be
questionnaire satisfactory to the Association. The                    carried out within                        Public disclosure of results reports on the
                                                     Other                                        Yes
staff survey results report to be independently                          the Program                            DOR website.
compiled and publicly disclosed.                                            period
                                          Comments   Completed.
                                                                                                                  Deployment of specific provisions for
                                                                       Final guidelines                           worksites to be included in contracts, BoQ
OCHS and labor management guidelines (bridge-                         endorsed by the                             items,social/ environmental
specific elements) developed and deployed on         Other            MOPIT within end             Yes            documents;Deployment of specific
Program contracts.                                                     of the Program                             provisions to ensure control over
                                                                           period.                                subcontracted arrangements in the supply
                                                                                                                  chain of goods works and services
                                          Comments   Completed.
The DOR OCHS and labor policy:Integrated OCHS and                                                                 MoPIT endorsement/confirmation
labor standards developed to align with national                                                                  through letter of: (a) Final OCHS and labor
legislation (incl Labor Act 2017) and matching                        Within end of the                           management policy; (b) Completion of
                                                     Other                                          No
updates to D R’s SM or addendum to SM to                              Program period                              stakeholder consultation on ESMF update;
reflect DOR policy and OHCS and labor mgmt.                                                                       and (c) Public disclosure of final updated
guideline                                                                                                         ESMF (or addendum developed).
                                          Comments   (a) and (b) completed, (c) public disclosure after approval from MoPIT.
OCHS management officers assigned to Program                                                                      (a) DOR engineers assigned as OCHS
                                                     Due Date            29-Jul-2019               Yes
sites.                                                                                                            management officers for all Program sites;

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                                                                                             (b) Consultants assigned to support
                                                                                             officers with field monitoring and
                                                                                             reporting; and (c) Assignment register
                                                                                             developed, promulgated, and updated in
                                                                                             each Trimester Report.
                                            Comments   Completed
                                                                                             Modules developed and delivered
                                                                                             annually before beginning of each
                                                                   Within 12 months
                                                                                             construction season covering (a) Training
OCHS capacity-building program (training,                          of effective date
                                                       Other                           Yes   for DOR engineers and consultants; (b)
awareness, and education)                                            and annually
                                                                                             Contractors compliance training; and (c)
                                                                      thereafter
                                                                                             Demand-side awareness raising training
                                                                                             initiative for workers
                                            Comments   Completed
                                                                                             Documentation in BSMS of (a) Regular and
                                                                                             unannounced site visits by OCHS
                                                                   Within 12 months
                                                                                             management officers, support consultants
                                                                   of effective date
OCHS system monitoring                                 Other                           Yes   to worksites to ascertain actual
                                                                     and annually
                                                                                             performance at implementing OCHS
                                                                      thereafter
                                                                                             standards;(b) Consultations with
                                                                                             communities near Program worksites
                                            Comments   Completed
                                                                                             a) Accidents and near misses documented
                                                                   Within 12 months
                                                                                             made public; (b) Worker grievances to be
                                                                   of effective date
OCHS system near miss and incident data collection.    Other                           Yes   directed to GRM system; (c)
                                                                   and continuously
                                                                                             Documentation in the BSMS and public
                                                                      thereafter
                                                                                             disclosure of incidents through DOR


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                                                                                                  website; (d) Injured workers to be
                                                                                                  engaged as trainers/speakers
                                         Comments     Completed.
                                                                      Reports provided
                                                                                                  Independent assessments of in-practice
                                                                       annually by end
                                                                                                  function of OCHS and labor standards to
                                                                      July of each fiscal
OHCS independent system validation and corrective                                                 include field validation and community
                                                      Other           year; Action plans    Yes
actions.                                                                                          consultation.Executed by one or more
                                                                       to be in place by
                                                                                                  external bodies.Annual action plans
                                                                        September of
                                                                                                  developed/agreed with IDA.
                                                                           each year
                                         Comments     With support from SDC.
                                                                                                  (a) Bridge development process endorsed
                                                                      Within 9 months
Bridge development process defined with specific                                                  by the MoPIT for initial use; and (b)
                                                                      of effective date
Gate Reviews and input stages from key technical,     Other                                 Yes   Documentation and signoffs for Gate
                                                                      and continuously
social, and environmental work streams.                                                           Reviews completed for each Bridge
                                                                         thereafter.
                                                                                                  Dossier.
                                         Comments     Completed.
                                                                                                  (a) Bridge development process endorsed
                                                                      Within 9 months
Bridge development process defined with specific                                                  by the MoPIT for initial use; and (b)
                                                                      of effective date
Gate Reviews and input stages from key technical,     Other                                 Yes   Documentation and signoffs for Gate
                                                                      and continuously
social, and environmental work streams.                                                           Reviews completed for each Bridge
                                                                         thereafter.
                                                                                                  Dossier.
                                         Comments     Completed
Update of model bid documents technical, fiduciary,                                               Model bid documents, satisfactory to the
and environmental and social provisions used for      Due Date          29-Sep-2018         Yes   Association, adopted by Program for
contracting Program works                                                                         works contracts.


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                           Comments   Completed




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ANNEX 2. BANK LENDING AND IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT/SUPERVISION

    A. TASK TEAM MEMBERS


  Name                                                     Role
  Hisham Mahmoud Fouad                                     Team Leader
  Deepak Man Singh Shrestha                                Co-Team Leader
  Shubu Thapa                                              Team Member
  Rupa Shrestha                                            Team Member
  Victor Boakye-Bonsu                                      Financial Management Specialist
  Bishwa Raj Basaula                                       Financial Management Specialist
  Neena Shrestha                                           Procurement Specialist
  Ning Yang                                                Environmental Specialist
  Janak Raj Pathak                                         Environmental Specialist
  Gloria Malia Mahama                                      Social Specialist
  Jaya Sharma                                              Social Specialist
  Sarah Subba                                              Social Specialist
  Ruifeng Yuan                                             Team Member
  Vishnu Shrestha                                          Team Member
  Bhaskar Maskey                                           Team Member
  Pratima Shrestha                                         Team Member
  Hari Prasad Bhattarai                                    Team Member
  Dron Pun                                                 Team Member



 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@icrannexstafftime#doctemplate
    B. STAFF TIME & COST


                                                                      Staff Time & Cost
 Stage of Project Cycle
                                      No. of Staff Weeks                   US$ (including travel and consultant costs)

 Preparation



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FY17                                                      16.459         99,108.95

FY18                                                      42.136        262,882.00

FY19                                                      45.621        200,665.35

FY20                                                       0.150           3,015.14

FY23                                                       0.175           1,132.53

Total                                                      104.54       566,803.97

Supervision/ICR
FY19                                                       2.700         50,733.29

FY20                                                      30.391        154,603.27

FY21                                                      32.530        182,989.56

FY22                                                      39.994        196,956.50

FY23                                                      40.886        200,708.13

FY24                                                      29.169        179,958.40

FY25                                                      18.343         57,617.76

Total                                                      194.01      1,023,566.91




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ANNEX 3. PROGRAM EXPENDITURE SUMMARY


                                                                      Actual Expenditures (Disbursement)
 Source of Program    Type of Co-   Estimates at
                                                   Revised
  Financing (US$)      Financing     Appraisal                        Percentage of   Percentage     Percentage
                                                             Actual
                                                                        Appraisal     of Revised      of Actual
World Bank            --                    133    118.20 112.17               68%            69%            68%
    PforR component                       118.84    116.37   111.11            61%            68%           67%
      IPF component                        14.15      1.55     1.06             7%             1%            1%
Borrower (PforR
                      --                  63.01      53.74   53.74             32%            31%           32%
component only)
Total                                    196.01    171.94 165.91             100%           100%           100%




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ANNEX 4. BORROWER’S COMMENTS
The Borrower provided their comments through email dated December 23, 2024, with the following remarks:
I would like to appreciate the bank team for their effort in finalizing the ICR prepared by the Bank. It seems in a very good
shape.
However, we have discovered a few minor discrepancies and incorporated those comments in the respective sections
which you can refer to very easily. We have also included a table of disbursement including Nepali counterpart fund
allocation.

ANNEX 5. PROGRAM RESTRUCTURING DETAILS

     Items           First Restructuring:       Second Restructuring:          Third Restructuring:            Rational
                          May 2022                    August 2023                  March 2024
 DLI 1            n.a.                        Increased target from         Increased target from     BB procured works
                                              4,500 m to 5,000 m;           5,000 m to 5,700 m;       packages potential for
                                              amount from US$13.086         amount from               disbursement exceeding
                                              mil to US$14.540 mil.         US$14.5419 mil to         the initial set target.
                                                                            US$16.577 mil.
 DLI 3            Increased target from       n.a.                          n.a.                      BB identified scope to
                  4,000 m to 4,400 m                                                                  achieve a target higher than
                                                                                                      initially anticipated at
                                                                                                      project preparation.
 DLI 4            Discontinued target         n.a.                          n.a.                      Bridges previously
                  from 2,000 m to 0 m                                                                 identified under DLI 4 were
                                                                                                      taken up by IDA-financed
                                                                                                      SRCTIP: P170409.
 DLI 5            Increased target from       Increased target from         Increased target from     Backlog bridges were
                  5,000 m to 6,500 m          6,500 m to 7,300 m;           7,300 m to 8,565 m;       completed beyond the
                                              amount from US$28.672         amount from US$32.2006    initial target and BB sought
                                              mil to US$32.2 mil.           mil to US$37.780 mil.     financing for additional
                                                                                                      bridges through savings
                                                                                                      from the cancelled DLI 4.
 DLI 7            Change in unit of           Change in DLI verification    n.a.                      Verification protocol
                  disbursement from ‘Sites’   protocol as the number of                               simplified to enable the BB
                  to ‘ ntries’                BSMS entries for a bridge                               to achieve the DLI targets.
                  Consequently, revision in   worksite will count as the
                  verification protocol as:   number of units for DLI
                  Two complete and            achievement. Entries must
                  substantive BSMS entries    date from the period
                  for a single worksite per   between contract signing
                  calendar month will         and beginning of defects
                  constitute two units of     liability period for works.
                  DLI achievement.
 IPF 1            n.a.                        Decreased amount from         Decreased amount from     The actual cost was lesser
                                              US$5 mil to US$3 mil.         US$ 3 mil to US$0.0604    than anticipated.
                                                                            mil.




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IPF 2          n.a.                        Decreased amount from        Increased annual            The actual cost was lesser
                                           US$0.5 mil to US$0.25 mil.   allocation from US$0.25     than anticipated.
                                                                        mil to US$0.412 mil.
IPF 3          n.a.                        Reduced quantity of          Reduced number of           Significant delays in
                                           advanced bridge design       advanced bridge design      initiation of this activity.
                                           from 10 to 4; decreased      from 4 to 2; decreased
                                           amount from US$3 mil to      allocation amount from
                                           US$1.5 mil.                  US$1.5 mil to US$0.015
                                                                        mil.
IPF 4          Increased amount from       n.a.                         Decreased amount from       The planned training
               US$0.6 mil to US$0.67                                    US$0.67 mil to US$0.20      activities were more than
               mil.                                                     mil.                        the initial planned amount;
                                                                                                    however, BB proposed to
                                                                                                    allocate a portion of the
                                                                                                    cancelled funds under IPF 8
                                                                                                    to IPF 4.
     5         n.a.                        Decreased amount from        Decreased amount from       Amount likely to be
                                           US$2.5 mil to US$1.897       US$1.897 mil to US$0.263    underspent. BB preferred to
                                           mil.                         mil.                        use its own engineers for
                                                                                                    supervision; updating of the
                                                                                                    BMS could not be
                                                                                                    completed due to lack of
                                                                                                    qualified bidders.
IPF 6          n.a                         n.a.                         Decreased amount from       Funds unlikely to be fully
                                                                        US$1 mil to US$0.214 mil.   utilized.
IPF 7          n.a.                        Decreased yearly rate        Decreased amount from       Required funds lesser than
                                           and reduced amount           US$0.5 mil to US$0.166      anticipated.
                                           from US$1 mil to US$0.5      mil.
                                           mil.
IPF 8          US$0.3 million fund         n.a.                         n.a.                        SDC continued to support
               reallocated to IPF 4 and                                                             the NPC for DLI verification,
               IPF 9                                                                                requiring reallocation of
                                                                                                    contingency funds.
IPF 9          Increased amount from       Decreased amount from        Decreased amount from       Contract value and
               US$0.25 to US$0.48          US$0.48 mil to US$0.35       US$0.35 mil to US$0.220     expenditure for Impact
               million                     mil.                         mil.                        Evaluation work was lesser
                                                                                                    than anticipated.
Cancellation   Partial cancellation of     n.a.                         n.a.                        Due to adjustments in the
               US$15.06 million IPF                                                                 DLIs and IPF costs, savings
               funds                                                                                of US$15.06 million were
                                                                                                    reallocated to government’s
                                                                                                    COVID-19 recovery efforts.
Extension      Program extended by         n.a.                         n.a.                        Additional time required to
               one year till July 15,                                                               complete the targeted
               2024                                                                                 program activities that were
                                                                                                    disrupted due to the COVID-
                                                                                                    19 pandemic restrictions.
RF             (i) IRI 2.2: Indicator      (i) IRI 2.2: The number of   (i) IRI 2.2: The number     Due to the changes in the
                   definition revised as       workshops decreased          of workshops            DLIs and IPF, the IRIs were
                   ‘Number of                  from 10 to 4.                decreased from 4 to     changed.
                                                                            2.

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                   workshops               (ii) IRI 2.3: The frequency   (ii) IRI 3.1: The target
                   completed by DoR on           changed from annual           increased from 5,000
                   the design of                 to within Program             m to 5,700 m.
                   advanced bridges for          closing date.           (iii) IRI 3.2: The target
                   improved resilience     (iii) IRI 3.1: The target           increased from 7,300
                   and inclusion’                increased from 4,500          m to 8,565 m.
                                                 m to 5,000 m.           (iv) IRI 4.2: The target
             (ii) IRI 3.2: The target
                                           (iv) IRI 3.2: The target            decreased from
                   increased from 5,000
                                                 increased from 6,500          2,000 to 1,000
                   m to 6,500 m.
                                                 m to 7,300 m.                 people.
             (iii) IRI 3.3: target
                                           (v) IRI 4.2: The target
                   reduced from 6,000
                                                 decreased from 5,000
                   m to 4,400 m                  people to 2,000
             (iv) IRI 4.1: Definition of         people.
                   indicator changed as
                   ‘Responsiveness to
                   bridges related
                   complaints through
                   the D R’s Grievance
                   Redress Mechanism’
PDO 2        n.a.                          Target reduced from 10        Target reduced from 4 to     Due to changes in the IPF 3
                                           to 4 number of advanced       2 number of advanced         target.
                                           bridge designs.               bridge designs
PDO 3        n.a.                          Dropped.                      n.a.                         Due to unclear
                                                                                                      methodology to measure
                                                                                                      the PDO result.
PAP          Revised deadlines for         Revised several technical,    n.a.                         To adjust the activities
             several actions               fiduciary, and E&S                                         targets based on the
                                           actions.                                                   implementation progress of
                                                                                                      the PAP.
Financing    n.a.                          n.a.                          Amendment to the             To accommodate additional
Agreement                                                                Financing Agreement,         budget heads to allow
                                                                         with 5 additional GoN’s      disbursements under the
                                                                         budget heads eligible for    Program
                                                                         disbursement under the
                                                                         Program.




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ANNEX 6. IPF ACTIVITIES STATUS

Subcomponent                       Description                                                 Status
     IPF 1          Preparations for future projects on the SRN   • Dropped due to delay in procurement.
     IPF 2                  Technical auditing by NVC             • NVC conducted technical audits for construction of new
                                                                    bridges, maintenance bridges, and road safety upgrades on
                                                                    bridges.
                                                                  • 2 province-level orientations on technical audit were carried
                                                                    out at Butwal and Surkhet.
                                                                  • 20 auditors were trained in technical auditing.
     IPF 3            Advanced bridge designs for enhanced        • Two advanced bridge designs for the Narayani and Bijaypur
                            resilience and inclusion                bridges were prepared with the mentorship of International
                                                                    Individual Bridge Expert Consultant.
                                                                  • Various studies, including geotechnical, hydrological, and E&S,
                                                                    were completed on these two bridges during the preparation
                                                                    of the designs.
                                                                  • The DATC organized three different trainings/workshops for
                                                                    the advanced bridge design (October 2023, Dec 2023, and May
                                                                    2024). A total of 54 participants were trained in advanced
                                                                    bridge design.
     IPF 4          Training (domestic and international) and     • The DoR conducted the first annual staff sur.
                              capacity development                • 1,051 participants were trained in 37 different events of
                                                                    training and capacity development activities related to
                                                                    technical, social, environmental, and fiduciary.
     IPF 5             Supervision oversight consultancies        • Incomplete. Due to the delay in floating the procurement
                                                                    notices and inadequate presence of consulting services in the
                                                                    market to commence the required tasks. The procurement of
                                                                    the International Bridge Expert and Local Bridge Expert was
                                                                    completed and valuable inputs were provided on reviewing
                                                                    the inclusive designs and preparing concept design of
                                                                    advanced bridges.
     IPF 6          Mobilization, equipage, and development       • The DATC committee was formed with 17 core team
                                   of the DATC                      members, out of which 7 were female (41%).
                                                                  • The DATC equipped with necessary software such as MIDAS,
                                                                    sophisticated laptops, computers, smartboards, and furniture.
                                                                  • Progressive functioning of the DATC resulted in capacity
                                                                    building of public and private sectors in terms of growing
                                                                    knowledge in advanced technology bridge designs.
                                                                  • Three training programs were conducted by the DATC on
                                                                    advanced bridges preparation.
     IPF 7          Support for OHS and DoR implementation        • OHS policy, guidelines, and manuals were developed.
                          of Nepal’s abor Act 201                 • OHS validation was completed.
                                                                  • The ESMF was updated.
     IPF 8           Contingency funding for verification past    • The SDC continued to support third-party verification to the
                                     year 3                         NPC. Contingency funds were reallocated.
     IPF 9          Program Impact Evaluation data collection     • The baseline survey was completed for Impact Evaluation of
                                                                    150 bridges.



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 ANNEX 7. BIMP: KEY ACHIEVEMENTS AND LEARNINGS
 PDO: To provide safe, reliable and cost-effective bridges on Nepal’s Strategic Roads Network.
 PDO-Level Indicators        Key Activities             Achievements             Key Lessons of BIMP          Lessons Integrated into
                                                                                                                       BIMP-II
                        DLI 1: Major              81.2%. Total number of    (i) Poor quality of bridge     (i) Use of BSMS on Program
(i) PDO 1: Improved
                        maintenance               bridges in good or fair   construction. Need for         site for enhanced field-level
condition of bridges
                        (Achieved: 16,139 m)      condition: 1,387 numbers, strengthened monitoring        monitoring and
on SRN
                        DLI 2: Minor                                        and supervision mechanism
                                                  out of total existing 1,709                              supervision; IPF support for
(ii) PDO 2: Increased   Maintenance               bridges.                  to ensure quality of           supervision oversight
share of bridges on     (Achieved: 10,729 m)                                physical works.                consultancies; NVC for
SRN meeting             DLI 3: New construction                             (ii) Regulatory and            technical auditing.
minimum loading         (Achieved: 6,618 m)                                 documentation issues.          (ii) Development and
requirements                                                                Need for regulations and       approval of SBD and
                                                                            development of standard        guidelines.
                        DLI 4: Strengthening    Reduced to 1%. Total        documents to ensure            (iii) Program activities to
(iii) PDO 3: Strengthen
                        performance             number of bridges in        effectiveness of the DB        generate from BMS
performance
                        management in the       unsafe condition: 17 (total contract approach.             prioritized list considering
management in the
                        bridge sector           existing 1,709 bridges).    (iii) Political and            data on condition, detour
bridge sector
                        (Achieved: 63 % of                                  environmental factors.         times, and beneficiary
                        bridge works completed                              Bridge construction            population served.
                        on planned scheduled)                               activities being affected by   (iv) Use of IPF support to
                        DLI 5: Improved bridge                              political instability, which   hire international
                        asset management                                    prevented the government       engineering inputs, provide
                        (Achieved: BMS fully                                from defining clear and        trainings, and share
                        operational in all                                  coherent priorities for road   international best practices
                        divisions/regional                                  and bridge construction.       regarding climate resilience
                        offices)                                            (iv) Implementation            and OHS.
                        DLI 6: Increase                                     challenges. Integration of     (v) IPF support for
                        effectiveness of the                                international bridge           establishment and
                        institution responsible                             expertise is necessary to      mobilization of the DATC
                        for bridge sector                                   deploy international bridge    that focuses on advancing
                        management                                          engineering approaches to      capabilities.
                        (Achieved: GRM                                      improve Program                (vi) IPF support to develop
                        implemented in the DoR                              effectiveness.                 guidelines, policy, and
                        and report disclosed)                               (v) Pioneering advance         manual on OHS.
                                                                            technology. Long-term          (vii) Implementation of the
                                                                            plan for sustainability of     GRM system and tracking
                                                                            shift toward modern bridge     of the DoR’s response time
                                                                            technology to take root.       on grievances received.
                                                                            (vi) OHS. Poor OHS
                                                                            practices/standards and
                                                                            worksite practices,
                                                                            resulting in fatal incidents
                                                                            in construction sites.
                                                                            (vii) Citizen engagement
                                                                            (CE). Need for enhanced
                                                                            CE, including design &
                                                                            operationalization of GRM.



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