Kathmandu, November 16

A meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of the Ministers under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Som Lal Subedi today formed a four-member committee to study feasible roads in Kathmandu Valley for public transport management through use of dedicated lanes.

Uttam Kumar Khatri, spokesperson, OPMCM today said that they were doing homework on public transport management in Kathmandu Valley and a meeting today decided to form a panel to carry out thorough study to identify feasible roads for management of public transport by developing dedicated lanes. “Due to fuel crisis, very less public transport is available in the city.

In such a scenario, transport entrepreneurs are not abiding by traffic rules and regulations,” he said, adding, “The present situation is going to end one day and public transportation will run in a full-fledged manner. Thus, we need to think of that day and do something right now for better traffic management,” he said.

The committee was formed under the coordination of Director General of Department of Road. Other members include representatives from OPMCM, Department of Transport Management and Metropolitan Traffic Police Division. He said, “Drivers are not following lane discipline, thus the report prepared by the committee will help in managing city traffic.”

The committee has been given a 15-day deadline that is December 2 to submit the report to the chief secretary. “Since the existing policy is not sufficient for maintaining lane discipline, the committee will be giving its recommendation on the issue too,” said Khatri, joint-secretary, OPMCM.

He further said the government was committed to strictly implement the provisions against gender violence in public transport as stated in Public Transport Code of Conduct 2011.

The meeting also decided to ask transport management Offices to provide the report of vehicle fitness test every six months.