Karnali to replace tuins with suspension bridges j1ru

BY RAJANI YOGI,Surkhet, June 15: The Karnali Province government has decided to replace tuins (ropeway crossings) with suspension bridges. In line with its policy to make Karnali free of tuins in the coming fiscal year, the government is set to construct suspension bridges by removing the existing tuins.

In some rural municipalities of the Himalayan districts not connected by road transport, people are still compelled to use tuins to cross rivers. However, the provincial government is now adopting a policy to replace these tuins with suspension bridges. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development has requested detailed information on existing tuins. According to Ministry Secretary Ishwar Chandra Marhatta, all 10 districts have been asked to submit these details. The reports must be submitted by June 24. The information can be sent either to the respective district’s infrastructure development office or to the ministry's email.

The ministry issued a notice on June 9 requesting information on any operating tuins as part of its campaign to eliminate them. The provincial government has incorporated this initiative into its policy and programmes.

The requested details include the names of rivers and streams where tuins exist, the names of districts where these tuins are located, the distance they cover, and the number of people who use them. In remote areas of Karnali, tuins continue to pose significant risks to human life. Back in 2015, the then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had announced a plan to make the country free of tuins within two years. However, in some parts of Karnali, people are still forced to rely on tuins to cross rivers.

Now, the provincial government has moved forward with the plan to eliminate tuins. Based on the information collected from the districts, suspension bridges will be constructed to replace them. The ministry has stated that the data collection is currently ongoing, and bridge construction will begin accordingly in the next fiscal year. In Humla district alone, there are reportedly about half a dozen tuins across the Karnali River.

Within the current fiscal year, the Karnali Province aims to construct 90 suspension bridges. Some of these projects are continuations from last year, while others are newly added. The ministry stated that completing old projects while adding new ones is part of a regular process. Accordingly, the province has set a target of building 90 new bridges this year. The purpose of building these suspension bridges is to improve transportation access and convenience for people living in geographically remote and difficult areas.

In coordination with the federal and local governments, the goal is to provide bridge access within a half-hour walking distance for all residents. The provincial government has allocated a budget of Rs. 205 million for bridge construction in the current fiscal year. So far, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure has been constructing bridges at intervals of at least every half an hour of walking distance. Previously, the standard required a bridge within an hour’s walking distance, but now the government has revised the guideline to ensure bridge access within just half an hour.