March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Hill Road Development Experience in Bhutan EFRC & Access Improvement Challenges Mr. Phuntsho Wangdi Director, Department of Roads, Royal Government of Bhutan March 7, 2007

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Latitude: 26 o 45’N & 28 o 10’N Longitude: 88 o 45’E & 92 o 10’E International Boundaries: China in the North, India in the East, West and South

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Land Area: 38,394 Sq. Km Districts: 20 Population: 634,982 Capital: Thimphu GDP: US$ 3921(PPP) per Capita Religion: Buddhism

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Mountains and Crisscross Valleys

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Rich Biodiversity - Bhutan lies within one of the world’s 10 th biodiversity hot spots

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Rural Communities & Subsistence Farming

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank DEVELOPMENTAL POLICIES AND STRATEGIES Balanced & Sustainable Development

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Promotion of Gross National Happiness

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Preservation of Culture & Tradition

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Environmental Protection & Nature Conservation

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Poverty Reduction & Gender Equality

TRANSPORT SECTOR GOALS  Improved quality of life of rural population through improved access to socio-economic facilities, marketing facilities, health and education facilities, etc. and;  More reliable, safe and economical road transport through reduced travel time, reduced road accidents, reduced road user costs, reduced transportation costs of goods and services etc.

KEY POLICY STRATEGIES  Mechanization of road works, standardization and reduce dependency on in-house labor;  Privatization of road works to develop capacity in private sector for implementation of road works.  Contracting out maintenance activities to communities (develop local capacity, provide employment/income generation opportunities and transfer of ownership);  Adoption of Environmentally Friendly Road Construction (EFRC) Techniques.

Challenges in Meeting in Rural Access Goals  Provision for transport infrastructure is costly and challenging  Difficult Terrain and fragile mountain ecosystem;  Sparsely populated and scattered settlements;  Balancing road development activities & environmental protection goals of the country;  Contracting and private sector still at infancy;  Low transport demand due to low population density;

Salient features of EFRC  Formation Cutting Minimize cuts into mountain slopes Minimize cuts into mountain slopes Design road profiles with the concept of mass balance (cut-and-fill) Design road profiles with the concept of mass balance (cut-and-fill) Tree cutting minimized and the logs are used for log barriers Tree cutting minimized and the logs are used for log barriers Use of excavators for excavation and for loading of tippers– avoid bulldozers Use of excavators for excavation and for loading of tippers– avoid bulldozers Controlled blasting to minimize destabilization of slopes and damages to the environment; Controlled blasting to minimize destabilization of slopes and damages to the environment;

Salient features of EFRC (Cont’d)  Slope Stabilization Construction of log barriers and boulder barriers for controlled spoiling of excavated materials Construction of log barriers and boulder barriers for controlled spoiling of excavated materials Top soil excavation for Bioengineering works; Top soil excavation for Bioengineering works; Gabion/crib walls Gabion/crib walls Bioengineering for slope stabilization and re- vegetation Bioengineering for slope stabilization and re- vegetation road formation consists of fill portions supported by retaining walls road formation consists of fill portions supported by retaining walls  Excavated materials transported to pre-identified locations  Protect the vegetation and farm lands in the valley from damages.

March 2007 Presentation to World Bank Application of Environment Friendly Road Construction Techniques