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The Nepal Trail Bridge
Forum (NTBF) is a platform where the “Public”, meets “Providers” in order
to address their concerns. Public includes but is not limited to actual
or potential users of any rural bridge. Providers is a generic
expression and includes any agent that has some involvement in providing
or maintaining bridges. Providers, include but is not limited to: donors,
Local Governments, private sector agents, NGOs, policy makers, planners,
managers and the like.
The guiding
principles of the NTBF include:
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1.
Transparency in all bridge related dealings.
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Transparency implies amongst others, being in contact with
(potential) Users and discuss their problems using day-to-day terms,
avoiding technical jargon.
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All
implies that the NTBF does not distinguish between bridges on the basis
of who paid for it. This concept is formally known as the “Sub-Sector
Approach”.
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2. Safety of people
using bridges is of paramount importance |
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Safety
is amongst others warranted by applying the nationally approved, norms,
standards, technologies, overarched by a national policy, known as the
Trail Bridge Strategy forming an integral part of the Local
Infrastructure Development Policy (TBS/LIDP).
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Safety
is also enhanced by Users reporting on unsafe bridges through the
designated Local Government channels and if not attended to, to the NTBF.
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3.
Providers complementing one another |
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As there
are many agents supporting bridges, it is important that Providers meet
bi-annually to exchange plans and to avoid duplication.
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Also
important is to decide on the most appropriate action of “redundant”
bridges. Bridges may become redundant as the road-network expands. Such
bridges are prone to negligence, will fall in disrepair, and may pose a
danger to the public.
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It is
vital to remain on the alert on the “state of the art”. Can trail
bridges be improved? Are there other forms of rural bridges that serve
the beneficiaries better?
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Important tools for the NTBF include the Nepal Trail Bridge Record (NTBR),
lists delineating the demand i.e. the "Long List", as well as maps indicating trails, trail
bridges and other rural bridges.
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