Labor-based, environment friendly and participatory construction approaches within the trail bridge sub-sector has evolved over several decades of experience. One important component is the protection of local communities and the surrounding environment during and after bridge construction.

The major domains against which the compliance of the social safeguards should be ensured within Trail Bridge SWAp are:

     1.    Safeguard on environment impact

Mitigating and minimizing the impact on the environment are one of the main concerns of trail bridge building. Unlike larger structures, trail bridge building requires works to be concentrated on only a very limited area (50 – 2,000 m²), thereby minimizing the impact it has on the overall environment. Furthermore, various activities are conducted to mitigate further effects: 

• Bridge locations are selected at geologically and environmentally sound and safe sides
• Slope is protected with bioengineering and civil structures, and water drainage systems (as per need) to prevent erosion and slide
• Use of steel decks instead of wooden decks for walkway of the bridge to prevent deforestation
• Environment friendly construction of trail bridges ensures low production of carbon
• River protective measures in the Terai using bio-engineering measures
  
   

2.    Safeguard on impacts on vulnerable groups

Every effort is made to ensure that vulnerable groups consisting of indigenous people, disadvantage groups, single women or women headed households are not adversely affected during trial bridge construction and/or are impacted positively. The various approaches and resources applied to ensure this include:

 

3.    Safeguard on involuntary resettlement

 

Resettlement of households is a very rare case within trail bridge construction as trail bridges require small spaces. Furthermore, bridges are constructed only on land that is technically feasible and are willingly donated by locals. Nevertheless, certain aspects are considered while safeguarding involuntary resettlement which includes:

 

 

Adherence of Social Safeguard to National Laws and Regulations

 

Key policy documents with the Trail Bridge SWAP- III are Local Government Operation Act -2074 BS, Local Infrastructure Development Policy 2004 (LIDP) and Trail Bridge Strategy 2006 (TBS). It refers 18 manuals, all of which have been approved by the Department of Local Infrastructure and Development of Agricultural Road (DoLIDAR), Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD). Besides, there are various Acts and Regulations of Nepal which social safeguard is adhered to.