KATHMANDU, JULY 31

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today has said the government has started necessary preparations to bring about qualitative changes in public transportation service inside Kathmandu Valley.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has taken initiatives to make necessary arrangements to run large-size buses in Kathmandu Valley, mentioned PM Dahal.

Addressing a meeting of stakeholders at the official residence of the prime minister in Baluwatar today, the PM shared that preparations have been made to reduce traffic pressure by operating Bus Rapid Transit.

The Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ministry is working to operate BRT along the Ratna Park- Surya Binayak road section from September 18.

Prime Minister Dahal directed the concerned officials to operate the BRT service as a trial even after office hours though the ministry has planned to operate the BRT service only during office hours.

He also urged them to make arrangements for traffic signals, mo-bilisation of traffic police, public awareness and traffic lights required for the same.

PM Dahal viewed that it was needed to give relief to the valley dwellers directly by making necessary preparations.

Similarly, he asked the ministry to create an environment for bringing 40 buses of Sajha Yatayat into operation.

For lack of charging station, the electric buses brought by Sajha Yatayat have not yet run.

Prime Minister Dahal stressed that charging stations should be set up at Pulchowk-based land of Sajha Yatayat while laying emphasis on the need to make necessary preparations for the construction of charging stations at other places in Kathmandu Valley. He directed the ministry to set up charging stations at other places of the country.

Out of 51 charging stations constructed across the country, a large number of charging stations have already come into operation.

A taskforce comprising office-bearers of Department of Transport Management and, Department of Roads has made necessary preparations by carrying out a study for the operation of BRT service.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 1, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.