Enhancing Rural Road Safety Capacity in Nepal

The Nepal Road Safety Initiative, supported by the Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF), focuses on strengthening rural road safety management capacity in three provinces of Nepal—Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim. The project aims to address the country’s growing road traffic fatalities by improving institutional capacity, engineering standards, enforcement, education, and emergency response systems. Through technical assistance to the Department of Local Infrastructure (DoLI), the initiative will assess existing road safety management practices, conduct safety audits on 100 km of critical provincial and local roads, and develop tailored, climate-resilient safety guidelines for low-volume roads. It also includes leadership and auditor training programs, community awareness campaigns, preparation of community and work-zone safety manuals, and an international knowledge exchange program. The overall goal is to establish an evidence-based, coordinated framework for improving road safety, reducing fatalities and injuries, and enhancing the resilience and sustainability of rural transport systems in Nepal.

The scope of the services for this Assignment includes, but should not be limited to, the following tasks:

Task 1: Comprehensive Assessment of the Overall Road Safety Management Capacity of Local and Provincial Roads of Nepal and Preparation of an Improvement Plan/ roadmap

1. Initial Assessment and PlanningComprehensive Rural Road Safety Management Capacity Review

• Stakeholder Engagement: Identify and engage with relevant stakeholders (including selected community consultation) to understand the ground situation.
• Data Collection: Gather existing data on road safety and traffic incidents, review available road-user behavior research studies, etc.
• Baseline Assessment: Conduct a preliminary assessment to understand the current state of road safety management including evaluating the safety of existing road infrastructure (road design, signage, and maintenance practices), assessing the enforcement mechanism AND practices for local and provincial roads and similarly for the post-crash emergency response, education and awareness efforts (if made by the government or non-government organizations), identification of gaps and inefficiencies in the current overall road safety management (in provincial/ rural areas)

2. Comprehensive Rural Road Safety Management Capacity Review

• Institutional Framework Analysis: Evaluate the existing institutional framework, including the roles and responsibilities of various agencies involved in road safety.
• Policy and Legislation Review: Assess current road safety policies, laws, and regulations to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
• Resource Assessment: Analyze the availability and allocation of resources (financial, human, and technical) for road safety management.
• Capacity Building Needs: Identify training and capacity-building needs for road safety professionals and stakeholders.

3. Development of Improvement Plan/Roadmap 

• International good practice: Study international best practices for safety of low-volume roads and possible application of good practices in Nepal (considering its local conditions)
• Strategic Objectives: Define clear, measurable objectives for improving road safety management.
• Action Plan: Develop a detailed multi-sectoral action plan outlining specific interventions, timelines, and responsible stakeholders.
• Resource Allocation: Identify and allocate necessary resources for implementing the action plan.
• Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: Establish a framework (results framework) for monitoring progress and evaluating the effectiveness of implemented measures. 

Task 2: Guidelines on Climate Resilient Road Safety Measures for Low - Hierarchy Roads in Nepal

1. Detailed review of existing road design standards, specifications, manuals, and guidelines for Low Volume Roads for cost-effective and climate-resilient road safety measures; 
2. Safety audit of 100kms of critical (high road safety risk) province and local roads (approx. 30-35 kms in each three project provinces to be identified in consultation with DoLI and provinces) to assess how current standards are applied, additional safety measures required to ensure safety of all road-users, and prepare a comprehensive plan of suggested road safety measures for the network assessed (i.e. 100kms); 
3. Liaise and work closely with three (3) local researchers (one in each province) to undertake road safety assessment and identify gaps/ deficiencies from current standards; 
4. Study international best practices for the safety of low-volume roads and the possible application of good practices in Nepal (considering its local conditions); 
5. Preparation of draft guidelines for road safety measures on low-volume roads in Nepal;
6. Final guidelines after feedback from all relevant stakeholders; and
7. Dissemination of prepared guidelines for road safety measures on low-volume roads to a total of 50 engineers of three pilot provinces (Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim) and DoLI, through a collaborative workshop.

Task 3: Road Safety Training Program

1. Work collaboratively with road agencies and stakeholders, and design Road Safety Training Program:   Road Safety Leadership Training (overall road safety management) for leaders of provincial road agencies and other relevant road safety stakeholders – 30 members Road Safety Audit Training for technical staff of provincial road agencies – 30 members Road Safety Awareness Campaigns in schools/ colleges and community along project roads, and ToT for 30 Road Safety Volunteers to ensure sustainability of Road Safety Awareness
2. Preparation of training modules and materials (including e-learning modules)
3. Delivery of training and preparation of the final report on trainings conducted.
4. Local University Students - 6 (students) -two in each province- to champion the awareness campaigns in schools/ colleges and assist in identifying road safety volunteers who will prepare a sustainable mechanism for awareness activities. 

Task 4: Facilitate an International Knowledge Exchange Program

The Consultant will assist the Bank in designing and organizing an international knowledge exchange program relating to rural road safety management, specifically for the exposure of the officials of the relevant stakeholder Departments involved in road safety management in Nepal. The consultant will support the following (but not limited to):

1. Assist in designing the knowledge exchange and exposure visit by identifying the country, places, relevant stakeholders to be visited along with coordinating with that country, in consultation with the Bank. 
2. Logistics and Coordination · Assist the Bank in planning of logistics and coordination of this knowledge exchange program, including the administrative part. Aid government departments in preparing approval-seeking letters, invitation letters to identified participants, visa supporting letters, coordination with international peers. 
3. Participant Engagement · Outreach and Recruitment: Support the development of a strategy to select participants from diverse backgrounds and regions. · Communication Plan: Help implement a communication plan to keep participants informed and engaged before, and after the program. · Networking Opportunities: Facilitate networking opportunities through social events, discussion forums, and collaborative projects. 

Task 5: Preparation of Community and Work Zone Safety Guidelines ·

1. Understand key Occupational Health & Safety and Community Health & Safety concerns, and guidance needs for the road agencies to guide in turn the Contractors, Workers, and other key stakeholders during all stages of the Project (Planning, Design, Preconstruction, Construction, Implementation O&M and Closure) ·
2. Review existing guidelines available in the country, and based on that prepare practical hands-on safety manual which can easily be used by PIUs for guiding the Contractors, Workers and other stakeholders (with educational material such as posters for display at site, leaflets & other awareness material
3. Prepare e-learning module/ e-course, and disseminate the safety manual (including the identified industry good practices) to selected PIU staff (up to 50 staff)