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Collaboration kicks-off for making future Rapti city disaster resilient
Provincial Infrastructure Development Authority (PIDA), Lumbini Province, Nepal and Tomorrow’s Cities research project have entered into a formal collaboration for the implementation of project activities in Rapti city, the Provincial Headquarters.
Tomorrow’s Cities is the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Urban Disaster Risk Hub – a five-year global interdisciplinary research hub.
CEO Chhabi Raj Pokhrel from PIDA and Prof. John McCloskey from the project team signed MoU in presence of Mr. Indrajit Tharu, Member of Provincial Assembly. The event was witnessed by Mayor of Shitaganga Municipality and Chairpersons from Rapti & Gadhawa Rural Municipalities. Also the Secretary Amrit Shrestha from Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development (MOPID) and Secretary Zakki Ahmad Ansari from Ministry of Water Supply, Rural and Urban Development (MOWRUD) in the province joined the ceremony. Representatives from IOE, NSET and SIAS as national partners of the research project also joined the event. The MoU aims to jointly work for making Tomorrow’s Rapti city disaster resilient.
Member of Provincial Assembly Mr. Indrajit Tharu, who represents Rapti Constituency and is also Former Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development called the federal, province and local level governments, communities and various stakeholders to develop better Rapti city. Mr. Tharu remarked, “we have this opportunity to develop our city for future generations. Its our responsibility to lay strong foundation for tomorrow’s Rapti. This collaboration helps us build better Rapti city.”
CEO Chhabi Raj Pokhrel from PIDA shared happiness to have this collaboration with the view of makingwfuture Rapti city better planned and better organized. Mr. Pokhrel remarked, “this collaboration provides us an opportunity of having international expertise for better planning and shaping our provincial capital city and make our future Rapti city resilient to all types of disaster risk.” He added, “we now focus on building capacity of engineering and social officials from PIDA and local municipalities and engage them in building safer city.”
Prof. John McCloskey from Tomorrow’s Cities research project highlighted the need of considering multi-hazards and risks while planning for tomorrow’s cities and also briefed how the research project envisions to support Tomorrow’s Rapti city. Prof. McCloskey remarked, “together we will work for making Tomorrow’s Rapti city disaster resilient, and for that the research team will be more focused on creating various options based on different scenarios and associated risks, while the city is to choose best option with minimal disaster risks.”
Addressing the signing ceremony, Mayor Chhabilal Paudel from Shitaganga Municipality stressed to consider major hazards namely earthquake, flood, landslide and fire while planning for new Rapti city. Chairperson Prakash Bista from Rapti Rural Municipality highlighted the need to develop disaster resilient Rapti city, and also expressed happiness to have international expertise to support on this effort. Chairperson Yam Narayan Sharma Pokhrel from Gadhawa Rural Municipality stressed to disseminate and raise awareness at community level on various aspects of city development.
News coverage on MoU signing in Rapti
1. Nepal Television
2. Naya Yugbodh National Daily
Courtesy visit to Chief Minister of Lumbini Province
The visiting team from Tomorrow’s Cities research project had courtesy visit to Chief Minister Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary. CEO Chhabi Raj Pokhrel from Provincial Infrastructure Development Authority (PIDA) and Prof. John McCloskey together with research project team made briefing to Chief Minister Chaudhary on the need, purpose and possible activities of this collaboration in view of contributing towards making Tomorrow’s Rapti city disaster resilient. Chief Minister Chaudhary provided some suggestions and guidance on the occasion. Secretary Rajendra Thapa from Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers also joined the meeting.
Workshop on City Scoping and Setup
As a kick-off event under the collaboration, Tomorrow’s Cities Workshop on City Scoping and Setup has been held in Rapti, Nepal on May 11, 2023. The workshop was jointly organized by Provincial Infrastructure Development Authority (PIDA), Lumbini Province, Nepal and the Tomorrow’s Cities project. Around 60 participants from PIDA, the Rapti & Gadhawa Rural Municipalities & Shitaganga Municipality joined. Now the process is to speed up for making Tomorrow’s Rapti disaster resilient.
