Using a little imagination, why could not flyovers be redesigned at a number of major crossings by installing crisscrossing concave and convex slopes in a bulb-like fashion? This would allow unimpeded traffic round-the-clock.
The ownership of private vehicles in Nepal has risen to 8 per cent of the total vehicle population, and motorcycles are now reported to constitute 78 per cent of the total number of vehicles. As a consequence, a report (Nepal Infrastructure 2030: Investment and Financing Needs brought out by the IIDS and Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) in 2019) warned three years ago that traffic management in the core areas of the Kathmandu Valley was worsening.
There is an important link between tourism and public transport system, particularly land tourism - internal as well as external. Given the massive sharp rise in the middle class of both China in the north and India in the south, the need to focus on North- South tourism in Nepal, particularly by land, is as obvious as the day.
The correlations between metropolitan traffic and public transport, and between public transport and land tourism look too important to be ignored in this regard. To make the points clearer hypothetically: Better the volume of metropolitan traffic, larger the volume of public transport; and enhanced public transport can substantially augment the flow of tourists (land and air). Enhanced quality of metropolitan traffic will also directly impact the overall volume of tourists, because the former shows how the host city receives the incoming visitors and manages their stay here.
To the measures suggested by the IIDS and CNI, one could add that improvement on the first suggestion - public transport - demands substantial rise in the number of public vehicles (buses, trams, trolley-buses, metro-trains run by hydropower) and electrification of auto-vehicles (cars and auto-bikes) apart from the need to significantly raise the public: private vehicle ownership ratio (PPVOR), which remains puny with a multiple negative impact on public transport in terms of both vehicular pollution (ecological and sonar) and the revenue loss inflicted by large numbers of vehicles from abroad. Public transport ownership can also become corporate, by combining state and private ownership.
Using a little imagination, why could not flyovers be redesigned at a number of major crossings by installing crisscrossing concave and convex slopes in a bulb-like fashion? This would allow unimpeded traffic round-the-clock.
The traffic quadrangle shows altogether six pairs of relationships between the four key actors - vehicle-owners (bus companies, for instance), operators (drivers and conductors), passengers and traffic regulators (police officers at work in traffic management) - each playing a critical role, which means how each of these actors understands the other actor's attitude and way to interact, the capacity, and role of each one to relate and interact is of crucial value in optimising traffic management.
Pair-wise, a harmonious relationship between the six pairs (regulator- passenger, regulator-operator, regulator-owner, owner- passenger, owner- operator, and operator-passenger) is essential to manage the traffic properly. This in turn demands not just better traffic literacy (awareness), which can be enhanced through the media, including social media, NGOs and civil society, but also effective state policies and strategies for rule implementation, monitoring and feedback as also adequate installation of traffic gadgets and use of technology to regulate and monitor traffic operations adequately, efficiently and effectively.
Here is a 10-point agenda to transform the civil traffic: Strict limits on speed, but corresponding to the location at issue - core public areas, urban space, and open highways. Public roads, after all, are not racecourses.
With mechanisms to monitor in place, penalties for defaulters must not be only strictly implemented, but also adequately and openly publicised. Passenger comfort is a matter of right. After the seats are full, vehicles must move forward immediately.
This brings distributive justice for the passengers as well as the vehicles. Pressure on the driver to get moving within the time stipulated will become a habit among the passengers and the traffic police only if they sustain it to 3-6 months to enhance the compliance capacity. Imagine the value of the total amount of time saved everyday, the stress avoided thereby, and the human hours gained in terms of the total number of passengers commuting each year in the capital valley.
"Imagine the value of time saved everyday, and the human hours gained in terms of the number of passengers commuting each year"
Pay as you occupy your seat. Whereas this saves time for every passenger, the net time earned by the operator, moreover, will also add one additional round everyday.
No one should be allowed to board the bus without a ticket. This would earn the state a revenue which is now stolen from the passenger's pocket. For the regular commuters, stock bookings of travel coupons in advance by weeks/months can be offered, and such bookings could also be done electronically.
Moreover, large stock bookings can be encouraged through discounts. Automated announcement on arrival. The locations of stations reached must be duly announced through recorded voice or electronic display at the spot. The distance, direction and time of the location arrived needs to be designated by the Mayor's Office or the Department of Traffic in both Nepali and English, which will reduce the labour of the conductors.
Metro train and adequate number of trams or trolley buses in the capital city plus electrification of auto vehicles. This will make the transport less dependent on imported fuels and reduce pollution.
Authorised driving, with two drivers for long-distance operations to minimise the risks involved. A total ban on entries of auto vehicles in high density public, spiritual or commercial zones.
Adequately installed safe hedging walls on highways to minimise accidents and passenger stress. Incentivising public traffic for regulators, owners, operators and passengers on an annual basis for civil behaviour through awards, testimonials and communication.
"Passenger comfort is a matter of right. After the seats are full, vehicles must move forward immediately. This brings distributive justice for the passengers as well as the vehicles. Imagine the value of time saved everyday, and the human hours gained in terms of the number of passengers commuting each year"
