Kathmandu, November 13

Kathmandu Metropolitan City is seeking solution to road traffic congestion inside the capital. Since the past few years, Kathmandu has witnessed steady increment in private vehicles plying the roads that have caused congestion and disruption in traffic movement.

The metropolis is seeking parking options to address road traffic congestion and plans to declare core city areas as ‘walk-only zones’.

Joint Spokesperson at the KMC Nama Raj Dhakal said KMC has set a target of declaring core city areas as ‘walk-only zones’ in the next five years. To meet the target, KMC will build parking lots for vehicles outside core city areas. People can park their vehicles in the parking lots and enter ‘walk-only zones’ in inner city areas.

“Parking lots will be an option for parking vehicles before entering the walk-only zones.” Dhakal told THT, adding, “Inner city areas will be declared vehicle-free ‘walk-only zones’ after parking lots are built and their operation begins.”

He said inner areas like Bhedasingh, Indrachowk to Thamel, Ason, Chhetrapati, Basantapur Durbar Square area, among others, will be declared walk-only zones initially. KMC has decided to develop digital parking lots just outside the inner areas. KMC found Dharmapath an ideal location where such parking lots could be built.

Last month, Thamel, a popular tourist hub, was declared a ‘walk-only zone’ with the concerted efforts of stakeholders and local authorities.

Last year in November, KMC had proposed constructing a three-storey multi-parking facility at New Road, Khullamanch and Lainchaur.

The construction of an underground parking facility in New Road was proposed at a cost of Rs 550 million. Likewise, parking systems in Khullamanch and Thamel were proposed at a cost of Rs three billion and Rs two billion respectively.