KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 20

The bus rapid transit service has come into operation from Ratnapark of Kathmandu to Suryabinayak of Bhaktapur from today.

The service is operated in collaboration of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala inaugurated the bus service from Shantibatika, Ratnapark. A dedicated lane has been managed for operating the rapid bus service on the 13.4 kilometres long route.

The buses for rapid transit service will operate from 9 am to 11 am and from 4pm to 6 pm from Thursday, it is said. The government said the bus rapid transit service has been brought into operation to improve the public transport sector in Kathmandu Valley.

Twenty-five buses with 40 seats have been allocated for the set time, said Uddhav Rijal, Director General, the Department of Transport Management. It takes around two hours to travel from Suryabinayak to Ratnapark by public transport during office hours at present. The bus rapid transit service will reduce this travel time to 45 minutes.

There will be bus stops at 19 different locations including Ratnapark, Maitighar, Babarmahal, New Baneshwor, Shantinagar, Koteshwor, Jadibuti, Kaushaltar, Gaththaghar, Chardobato and Suryabinayak.

The government on March 14, 2023 decided to operate the bus rapid transit service in Kathmandu Valley in a bid to manage the public transport. The buses will run in a gap of one kilometre distance during the office time.