Kathmandu, November 15

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has proposed three multi-storey parking buildings in New Road, Khullamanch and Lainchaur to reduce the parking problem in core city areas and to maintain the city’s beauty.

KMC had sent the proposal for approval to the Ministry of Local Development before Dashain.

According to KMC, it has proposed underground parking in New Road to eliminate congestion in the core city area and its vicinity. That parking facility will have multi-storey building and lift system inside. The facility will cost around Rs 550 million.

Similarly, normal but multi-storey parking will be constructed in Khullamanch to further reduce the problem of congestion in core city areas. Its estimated cost is around Rs 3 billion.

Likewise, another underground parking will be constructed in Lainchaur to park vehicles of Thamel area and for those vehicles coming from Lazimpat side. Its estimated cost is around Rs 2 billion.

Gyanendra Karki, spokesperson at the KMC, said the three multi-storey parking buildings’ proposal has been sent to the ministry in the first phase and KMC is waiting for a nod from the ministry to start construction.

“We are ready to open the tender process after the ministry gives the nod to go ahead” he told The Himalayan Times, “After the first phase, we have other smart city-oriented projects in the next phase.”

He said there is just one smart city-oriented ambitious work — Kathmandu View Tower — whose construction tarted a few months ago in Old Bus Park. According to KMC, besides the three parking facilities and Kathmandu Tower, various programmes have been prepared and designed by KMC.

According to the prepared programmes, one park will be established in Tinkune where either a statue of Manjushree or Buddha will be placed. KMC will propose the design, estimated cost and further details of that park to the ministry after approval of the proposed three parking facilities.

Other prepared programmes will be completed with the coordination of KMC, Kathmandu Valley Development Authority and the private sector.

New Dharahara will be constructed with the old design but new construction materials. Rani Pokhari will be changed in to ‘Musical Water Fountain’, a two-km heritage path will be constructed from Kalmochan Ghat to Teku Dovan on the banks of the Bagmati River, 27 kilometres of the Ring Road will be widened within 10 years, service tracks, dividers and gardens will be established in road side areas.

Various road sections of Kathmandu will be widened and black-topped as soon as possible. The Kathmandu Valley Road Improvement Project had resumed expansion of 53 km road segments in Kathmandu in July this year.

The project had started expansion of Tripureshwor-Kalanki, Chabahil-Jorpati-Sankhu, Jorpati-Sundarijal, Lagankhel-Satdobato, Imadol-Siddhipur-Godawari, Karmanasa-Harisiddhi, Dholahiti-Sunakothi-Chapagaun and Nakkhu-Bhaisepati-Bungamati road stretches.