This document reviews labour-based construction technology for sustainable rural infrastructure development in Nepal. It discusses how labour-based and equipment-based methods are the two main approaches used for rural road construction. Labour-based construction relies on local labour and tools, is more environmentally friendly, generates local employment, and helps alleviate poverty. However, equipment-based construction can be more efficient on difficult terrain. A case study compares three rural roads constructed using labour-based and equipment-based methods, finding that labour-based roads provided more local jobs but were more expensive, while equipment-based roads had higher costs but less local employment. The document concludes that labour-based construction is generally more suitable for rural areas due to local resource availability and costs

1. A Review on
“Labour-based Construction Technology for Sustainable Rural
Development Infrastructure”
SUBMITTED BY:
TSERING NGUTUK GURUNG (PAS076MSIEM017)
SUBMITTED TO:
Ar. BABURAM BHANDARI
PASHCHIMANCHAL CAMPUS
INSTITUDE OF ENGINEERING (IOE)
LAMACHOUR,POKHARA
13th
June.2021

2. 1.Background:-
Nepal is a land-locked country which is rich in natural
diversity as well as cultural diversity. The federal
structures i.e. three tiers of government at federal,
province and local levels is implemented after the
promulgation of constitution in 2015. The major
percentage of area is hilly and mountainous area (77%of
total area).
The road construction is one of the major infrastructure
development aspects of Nepal. Due to complex geography
and topography, still many marginalized areas are
deprived of linkage to central area. Nepal has the lowest
road density in South Asia (with 47 km of road per 100 sq.
kilometres (km2
), and 2.5 km of road per 1000 people.
Local governments are planning and focusing on effective
development of rural areas. Labour based and equipment
based are two methods of road construction technologies
in the rural road construction, rehabilitation, operation,
maintenance.
2.Introduction:-
The labour-based technology is technology that applies
labour force for production and execution of road
construction with use of locally available non mechanical

3. tools. However the simple or immediate equipment can
be deployed in the case of increasing efficiency for the
those activities which are not performed by labour alone.
Similarly, if the construction of road is carried out by the
sophisticated or highly mechanized tools coordinated by
skilled manpower is termed as equipment based
construction technology.
3.Necessity of an appropriate technology:-
Selection of the appropriate road construction and
maintenance methods such as labour-based method or
machine-based method is necessary to be financially
viable. 18.7 percent Nepali population are living under the
poverty line currently in the country and most of them are
from rural areas. Thus to select appropriate technology for
road construction in these are deemed necessary.
Basically the selection of construction techniques depends
on various factors and both the prevalent construction
technologies have both merits and demerits. Some of
selection criteria are as follows:
• Available funds
• Project Duration
• Geography and topography of the proposed project

4. • Financial, economic and social status of project
affected people
• Availability and conditions of human resources;
skilled, semi-skilled, unskilled
• Acquaintedness with latest technology
• Degree of sustainability
4.Suitability of Labour-based technology in the
context of rural roads:-
However, in the context of rural areas of Nepal, labor
based construction technology is widely implemented in
order to assist in poverty alleviation. This technology is
environment friendly and sustainable in the sense that,
there is minimisation of slope cutting and preservation of
vegetation cover, mass balancing, proper management of
water, bio- engineering. The construction of road is
carried out in the agricultural slack season through labor
intensive techniques generally helps in capacity building
and creation of employment opportunities.
The green road approach generates the feeling of
ownership that assist in sustainable maintenance of road.
If a road can be built in an hour through conventional
approach using dozer and blasting, then a same road
finishing can take 15 days for a local to built using Green

5. road (GR) approach. To make a comparison, for the
purchase price of one bulldozer it would be possible to use
120,000 person days in labor-based road construction
using the green road approach (equivalent to
approximately 200.km of 1.5m wide trail, or .4 - 5. km of
full width earthen road) (RRF, 2004).
Labor based construction technology is a bottom up
approach that primarily focuses on social equality and
gender balance through the decentralisation and
participatory approach. Besides these superiorities over
the equipment based method, it helps to create
sustainable economic environment with optimum
utilisation of local resources, foreign exchange control and
cost reduction.
5.Advantages of equipment based construction
technology over labor based construction
technology:-
If the construction of road is carried out on the rough
terrain and complex topography then EBM is more
economical than LBM. Similarly, if the project is to be
finished within a short reach of time, EBM is an
appropriate choice. During harvesting time, local labors
may not be available.

6. Apart from above advantages, it has some demerits such
as
• Frequent natural disasters like landslides, debris fall
and disposals resulting into flooding
• Pollution near project area
• Disturbances to natural stability during construction (
drill and blast)
6.A case study of rural roads of Makwanpur district
Three roads were selected for the study and are as
follows:-
Name of road Total
length
(km)
Length
considered
(km)
Technology
Dandabas-Pakani 15 15 LB(GT,)
Pakani Kharka-
Baikuntha
13 13 EB
Sitalchowk-Jatiya
Pokhari
6 2.5 EB
6.1 Dandabas-Pakani LB Road
Average days of work engagement in road corridor by
local labors was 149 days that resulted in financial and

7. livelihood improvement with ensured additional three
months of food security. During the construction phase,
enhanced participation of dalit households and women
were ensured. The total direct cost was about NRs
1821700/km. After completion of project, significant
increase in commercial vegetable farming ( 90% of 2130
households) were observed due to market access.
6.2 Pakani- Baikuntha EB Road
EB were adopted as road alignment passes through long
stretch of forest area (about 15m) and unavailability of
local labors. The road is open for dry weather only i.e.
about seven months. Total direct cost incurred was NRs
619600/km. Average days of work engagement in road
corridor was 149 days. Additionally, it reduced cost of the
5m wife road to about NRs 619,000/km.
6.3 Sitalchowk-Jatiya Pokhari EB Road
Though its’ proposed length was 6 km ,only 2.5 km from
Sitalchowk was constructed because of intervention
caused by influential people on construction as they had
bought a large piece of commercial land.

8. 7.Conclusion and recommendations:-
Sustainable way of constructing rural road with aim of
preservation of natural environment is of major concern.
Equipment based construction method may have higher
efficiency and productivity than labor based construction
technology but they may create environment problems
such pollution, changes in landscape, weakening the
natural stability. Similarly, requirement of highly skilled
manpower for operation, repair, maintenance of those
equipments and their transportation to the project sites
may require additional budget.
Labor based construction technology is widely used in the
rural areas because of availability of large number of
unemployed workers and local resources, materials and
tools. For financial cost comparison, the labor-based
method is generally cheaper than a machine-based
method to carry out the same tasks. Training sessions are
very much essential for effective implementation of labor
based construction method.

9. 8.References:-
• Makwanpur DDC, 2001. Periodic District
Development Plan 2002–2006.
• DOLIDAR, 1999. Approach for the Development of
Agricultural and Rural Roads: A Manual for the
Preparation of District Transport Master Plan and for
the Implementation of Rural Road Subprojects.
Kathmandu: Department of Local Infrastructure
Development and Agricultural Roads.
• Shrestha1,Diwat Kumar,2014. Labour-based
Construction Technology for Sustainable Rural
Development Infrastructure, JOURNAL OF
ADVANCED ACADEMIC RESEARCH (JAAR).
• Mulmi,Abhiman Das,2009.Green Road Approach in
Rural Road Construction for the Sustainable
Development of Nepal, Journal of Sustainable
Development, Vol. 2, No.3,Department of Roads
Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Government
of Nepal Babarmahal, Kathmandu.
• Local Governance and Community Development
Programme (LGCDP), United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), 2011. Economic Analysis of Local

10. Government Investment in Rural Roads in Nepal
2011.