Kathmandu, September 13: The Narayangadh–Muglin road section at Tuin Khola has been facing an increasing problem of landslides not only during the monsoon but also in winter, prompting the Division Road Office to adopt the “nailing” technique as a long-term solution.
Work is currently underway to remove large rocks from the slope prone to landslides and create a stable slope. After that, the Division Road Office, Bharatpur, said it will use the nailing technique, in which nails or rods are driven into the slope to strengthen the ground.
According to Narayan Prasad Lamichhane, chief engineer of the Division Road Office, Bharatpur, work to cut and remove large rocks from the upper section of the landslide-prone area has been underway for the past week. He said that work is currently being carried out with limited manpower because of the difficult geographical conditions, and that additional manpower and equipment will be mobilized after the large rocks are removed.
“Basically, the nailing technique will be used here. Depending on the condition of the slope, we plan to use dimensional nets and give priority to bio-engineering,” he said.
The nailing work will begin after the landslide-prone slope is cut, the rocks are removed and the required slope is prepared. The Division Road Office is preparing to use technologies involving two-dimensional and three-dimensional nets, depending on the nature of the slope.
Since accumulated or seepage water in the landslide-prone area can further weaken the ground, horizontal drains will also be constructed to discharge the water. Lamichhane said the plan is to further stabilize the slope through bio-engineering techniques along with nailing.
The Division Road Office is preparing to begin the nailing work within about a month. The office expects that removing the large rocks from the upper section will also immediately reduce the risk of rocks falling onto the road and disrupting traffic.
As landslides continue to occur at Tuin Khola, vehicular movement along the road has currently been allowed only during designated periods. Vehicles are permitted to operate for half an hour every two hours between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. From 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., however, traffic is allowed to operate continuously.
After landslides began occurring at Tuin Khola during the winter as well as the monsoon from last year, the Division Road Office began seeking a long-term solution alongside immediate management measures. The office plans to reduce the risk of landslides on the road by stabilizing the slope through a combination of nailing, drainage and bio-engineering techniques.
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