Guidelines for re-building the rural transport system destroyed by the tsunami

IN the rural areas bordering the tsunami ravaged coastal stretch rural roads including feeder roads, bridges, culverts, footbridges and access roads in the Western, Southern, Eastern and Northern Provinces have suffered serious damage by the tsunami's devastation.

Rehabilitation activities including urgent construction and distribution of relief were considerably delayed and social life adversely affected due to the lack of access to some of these rural areas.

Linkages that prevailed between some of the coastal area communities and the coastal cities of the North, East, South and the West and urban centers that served these communities were destroyed.

As a result difficulties were faced in reaching a number of these areas after the destruction, for humanitarian assistance, collection of information and in attending to other urgent needs.

It is necessary to recognize the importance of transport in rural areas where around 80 percent of the population live.

The total road network in Sri Lanka is about 96,000 kms of which 64,650 kms are rural roads. While the Agricultural Department, Mahweli Development Authority and Irrigation Department manage a very small portion of the rural road network, a significant proportion of rural roads come under the responsibility of the pradeshiya sabha.

This rural road network serves the education, health, economic and other social activities of the large rural population of the country.

To date, there is no known assessment of the damage caused to rural transport infrastructure after the devastation, where as, the Road Development Authority (RDA) asserts that 415 km of the coastal national highway has been affected, and is to be developed with a fund allocation of Rs. 17 billion.

Nevertheless, those who are concerned with the development and maintenance of the rural transport system would have been interested to note the Government's announcement that the European Union is to gift Rs. 1.700 billion (E 13.15 million) to repair 550 km of provincial and local government authority C and D Class local roads in the North and East, damaged during the civil war and recently by the tsunami.

Also, Rs. 600 million is to be devoted by the government for the reconstruction of the rural road network affected by the disaster in Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts, involving 324 kilometres of rural roads.

In tsunami ravaged Sri Lanka, the initial phase of granting relief to the tsunami victims has been now transformed into the reconstruction and rehabilitation period.

Both local and international organizations are currently involved in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of affected rural transport infrastructure. However, there are no acceptable technical standards or approved methodology in this otherwise laudable effort.

The Lanka Forum on Rural Transport Development (LFRTD), wishes to bring to the attention of those organizations active in this field, the following guidelines that have been developed for the furtherance of rural transportation in developing countries.

Location specific provision

As the Government proposes to re-establish the communities shattered by the tsunami, in new well-planned settlements, further inland with a 100 meter coastal buffer zone for coast conservation, there is the simultaneous strong need for the development of the settlements to be accompanied in parallel, by the provision of connectivity through appropriate rural transport and travel facilities tailored to the specific needs of each area, suited to the economic condition of each special until and sufficient to provide the level of connectivity that could enable that community to perform the various socio-economic activities that would sustain their livelihood development.

Care should be taken regarding speedy accessibility and the sustainability of the road network. Here, it is important that national level organizations such as the Ministry of Highways, the Ministry of Transport and the Urban Development Authority should work together with the local government authorities including the pradeshiya sabha and the voluntary organizations in the field.

Reliable connectivity

Requirements of Connectivity are:

A). Economic connectivity
Connectivity to markets, banks, and economic centers in village or towns. Direct connection between the producers and markets could obviate the intervention of middle men leaving more money in the hands of the producer.

B). Social connectivity
Connectivity to schools, hospitals, places of religious worship and other places of common interest.

C). Domestic connectivity
Connectivity for collecting of firewood, drinking water, subsistence agriculture, etc.

The level of connectivity available to the community should be such that it is not a constraint to achieving the socio-economic potential of the area.

It can be location (site) and development activity specific. It would be prudent to avoid expensive over design and adopt design standards suitable for low traffic volumes and short haul distances often encountered in rural areas.

Research presented to the LFRTD has shown that 42% of rural roads carry less than 50 vehicles per day (vpd), 33% carry 50-150 vpd, and only 25% carry up to 200 vpd. Well designed and constructed gravel roads with acceptable gradients, curvatures and directness can carry mixed traffic up to 200 vpd. Higher grade roads such as those that are tarred or cement surfaced would be required where the traffic volume is over 200 vpd. Lower grade roads could be upgraded as development grows.

In this way, the phased provision of connectivity could help increase the number of kilometres rehabilitated and postpone more expensive resource options until their necessity is validated.

As far as possible local resources and appropriate technology should be used. Appropriate technology is defined as efficient, low cost and amenable to labour intensive methods. The use of low-cost technology does not imply relaxed construction standards.

Utilisation of labour resources available within the community, would be especially advantageous as it would mean earnings for the community members during the construction phase and thereafter in road maintenance, and inculcate a sense of ownership among the community which is very necessary for road maintenance.

Community members can easily be trained in spot improvements. Maintenance has an important role to play in preserving local transport infrastructure, access reliability and in reducing travel and transport difficulties.

The Intermediate Technology Development Group, South Asia, in Colombo, has admirably used low cost technology and community participation in a series of community roads constructed by them in association with the relevant pradeshiya sabha, in the Southern and Uva Provinces, including community based road maintenance.

In this respect, it is heartening to note that the European Union award for road repair in the North and East, incorporates a component for developing road maintenance capacity. Other donors could well do likewise.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA): EIA and SIA should precede any transport infrastructure construction however small.

Its necessity is well demonstrated by the example in Rekawa, in the Southern Province, where a causeway constructed across the lagoon adversely affected the lagoon eco-system and caused the lagoon marine life to perish, resulting in the lagoon fisher community losing its livelihood.

After much agitation the reconstruction of the causeway in a different design enabled the restoration of the lagoon eco-system and the livelihood of the fisher community.

The beneficiary community should always be consulted right at the planning and design stages, as they well know their environment and have good knowledge of their socio-economic needs.

"Roads are not enough". Communities need transportation services for their mobility, where, walking or the use of the bicycle is distance constrained for a journey need. Where such services are not available and unlikely to be provided by operators, the community can be mobilized to provide its own transportation service.

The Kosgala Community Bus Service, which is owned and managed by the villagers of Kosgala and Kahangama has provided a bus service to Ratnapura for the benefit of the three villages of Kosgala, Kahangama and Hulpe, for the last seven years.

This was commenced under the direction of the LFRTD using the concept of community participation. The ITDG, South Asia has innovated similar intermediate public transport services using trucks converted for passenger and goods carriage, owned and operated by the communities of Mulberrigama in the Sooriyaweva divisional secretariat division in the Southern Province and Rukmalgama and Nikaweritiya in the North Western Province.

Generally, the rural transport system consists of a network of rural roads and associated modes of transport. The rural road network consists of paved and unpaved roads. While, paved roads are mainly tarred roads, the unpaved roads are gravel roads, earth roads, cart tracks and foot paths.

Waterways are also useful means of transport in rural areas. Similarly, the modes of transport consist of intermediate transport modes such as carts, bicycles, hand tractors, tractor trailers, tricycles, bicycle trailers, and conventional modes such as trucks, buses.

Boats and parus, are used on waterways. It is advantageous to encourage those modes that are environmentally friendly, socially acceptable and economically locally maintainable.

Immediate attention could be drawn to short term constructions such as foot-bridges, causeways, and culverts. Local materials such as coconut and palmyra trunks could be used for foot bridges.

However, they should be on a temporary basis. It is essential that when permanent constructions are done, they should be well planned, using local materials as far as possible and enlist the participation of the beneficiary community in the planning, execution and care of the transportation facilities.

Centralized planning and implementation will not be that practical. Consideration should also be given to be promotion of the use of bicycles by providing bicycle lanes and bicycle parking facilities.

The guiding principles discussed hitherto for the restoration of the rural transport infrastructure ravaged by the tsunami can be summarized as follows:

* Transport infrastructure provision should be location specific
* Designs should be appropriate to the traffic, climate, terrain and environment.
* Local construction materials should be used wherever possible.
* Construction techniques should be appropriate being suitable for small contractors and local employment.
* Maintenance requirements must be in line with local government authority and community resources.
* Connectivity provided should be reliable
* EIA and SIA should precede any infrastructure development.
* Community participation should be enlisted in the planning, execution and the care of their transportation facilities and services.

Lanka Forum On Rural Transport Development