Kathmandu, June 23

The Ministry of Federal Affairs has directed all metropolitan cities, municipalities and rural municipalities in Kathmandu Valley to implement the June 9 directives of the Parliamentary Development Committee.

Stating that existing and under-construction footpaths in the Valley were not pedestrian-friendly, the committee said sidewalks were badly planned and encroached on at most places.

“The footpaths are in a sorry state. They still lack minimum traffic furnishings like zebra-crossing, traffic light, lane line and traffic signal posts. It is the need of the hour to streamline the transport with easy mobility of pedestrians by upgrading road infrastructures,” the committee said.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development to the local levels read, “You are urged to implement and cause to implement the decisions and directives of the parliamentary committee.”

The committee has also directed the local levels in the Valley to immediately initiate construction of sidewalks on the road sections where they are absent or are in bad shape.

Similarly, the local levels were told to discourage the tendency of encroaching on the roads and littering footpaths and overhead bridges, and rein in stray cattle besides conducting massive awareness programmes on road safety with special focus on pedestrians.