As part of its efforts to construct earthquake resistant buildings, the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) is planning to mobilise around 2,400 engineers in all quake-affected districts by April-end.

Following directives from the NRA, the Ministry of Urban Development has started selecting engineers.

“We have been informed that the ministry is completing the selection process by Saturday. We will conduct an orientation programme before sending them to the quake-hit districts,” said NRA Spokesperson Ram Prasad Thapaliya.

The decision to mobilise technicians to help quake survivors rebuild their houses comes with the start of distribution of housing aid from Dolakha district this week. The NRA through its resource centre in Dolakha earlier this week started releasing Rs 50,000 as the first installment of the government-announced Rs 200,000 aid to build houses.

The NRA is planning to distribute housing reconstruction aid in 11 quake-affected districts from April 24, when the country marks the first anniversary of the Gorkha Earthquake. Sources say the Urban Development Ministry is sending 1,346 engineers, 560 sub-engineers and 575 assistant engineers at the same time.

“This is a historic opportunity to rebuild better infrastructure for future generation,” said Thapaliya.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has already provided immediate cash relief to 770,000 households identifying them as households rendered homeless.

The NRA has currently deployed as many as 1,600 trained engineers to conduct survey of damaged homes and other infrastructure in 11 quake-affected districts, and they have completed nearly 90 percent of the work. After completing the survey in the 11 districts, the engineers will start damage assessment in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur of Kathmandu Valley.

The engineers will remain in their designated areas until the completion of housing reconstruction.