Raju Raj Joshi

Kathmandu, May 9

With the civic polls just around the corner, mayoral candidates for Kathmandu Metropolitan City have made tall promises while soliciting votes from the electorate.

Nepali Congress mayoral candidate for KMC, Raju Raj Joshi, said infrastructure development, welfare schemes for the elderly and children, reducing traffic congestion, protecting Kathmandu’s cultural heritage, free Wi-Fi and better sewerage system were his major agendas.

Joshi pledged that he would construct flyovers and take initiatives to operate metro rail to reduce traffic congestion in the city. “Mayors and deputy mayors from our party in the past have won voters’ heart with their commendable work. Currently, two ministers from our party have also done good things for the capital and I think the voters would take cognisance of all these things on the Election Day,” Joshi added.

CPN-UML’s mayoral candidate for KMC, Bidhya Sundar Shakya, said he would begin his work by renovating heritage monuments damaged in the 2015 earthquakes. He has promised that he would begin 101 projects within 100 days if elected. His list of lofty projects include hiking social security allowance to senior citizens to Rs 5000, restoring the historic Sorhakhutte Pati, implementing e-governance, and making major places like Swoyambhu and Pashupatinath temple area free Wi-Fi zones. He said a majority of voters he met had suggested to him to start his work by reducing traffic congestion and pollution in the city.“If elected, I will do all I can to make Kathmandu a ‘smart city’ with all modern facilitates,” he added.

Likewise, CPN-MC’s mayoral nominee for KMC, Sarbotam Dangol, said he would begin his job by increasing the efficiency of KMC staff. “People have lost faith in KMC staffers. We will have to first regain their trust,” he said, adding that his next focus would be on drafting a policy for proper land use in the city. Reducing traffic congestion is also one of his major agendas. He said if elected if he would help earthquake victims rebuild their houses.

Sajha Party’s mayoral candidate Kishor Thapa, who has a long experience as a civil servant, promised to make KMC a historic, clean, and safe city with opportunities for all. He said he would try to establish good governance using his past experience if elected to the post.  “Voters don’t want to see parties who kept the city without elected representatives for 19 years,” he said, adding that voters wanted effective traffic management instead of unending road expansions.

Bibeksheel Nepali’s nominee Ranju Darsana, the youngest mayoral candidate for KMC, said, “My mission is to make ‘Sundar-mandu’ (beautiful Kathmandu) which I start by reducing pollution.”

She has also promised digitisation of services and development of infrastructures at Dasarath Stadium and Mulpani cricket ground. She said voters wanted regular water supply and a solution to their day-to-day problems. “I will act keeping the desire of the people at the centre and follow the bottom-up approach,” she said.