With the rapid migration from both within and outside the country for employment opportunity, concentration of administrative establishments, coming up of educational and health centers and also due to being the main tourism hub, Kathmandu began to gradually transform into a nasty city with all sorts of mess.

Government’s decision after the late 60s to open industrial estates and highly polluting industries such as cement and brick factories in the valley also encouraged the private sector and small householders to open industries, mainly garment, carpet and other cottage industries in residential areas and releasing the industrial wastes such as heavy smoke in the air and toxic chemicals, including human wastes, into the once clean rivers. One can rightly imagine how much labor force is needed to operate all these industries plus the logistics such as living space, restaurants, saloons, tailoring shops, public transport, groceries, educational and health institutions, other vital public utilities like electricity, water, phone and an infinity of other materials required to run all this, which in turn, adds more garbage.

The Kathmandu Valley could be transformed into a major heritage city with greenery all around and wide roads, cable cars, mono rails and other forms of non-polluting transportation means to make the city much more greener, and rich with historic and cultural values

Truck-loads of daily essential food, livestock, vegetables, fruits, household items, fuel, construction materials are transported daily from different parts to the valley, and the empty containers go back congesting the highways. Underground water is pumped out mercilessly, and there is no space left to soak down the rain water due to the tightly constructed houses and concrete covering almost all the open space in the city area.

In the 70s noted scholar Dr. Harka Gurung and some other intellectuals also had opened a debate on shifting the capital from Kathmandu to Bharatpur or other suitable place. However, maybe due to the poor capability of building the new infrastructure and also because of the psyche of the then Royal court that Kathmandu is safer politically, the idea was buried without any consideration.

The Egyptian Government recently announced that due to massive congestion, they have decided to shift the capital 50 kms east of Cairo covering 700 square kms within the next five years. Cairo is nearing the population of 20 million and will double in the next 40 years. Pakistan had also shifted its capital some 1400 kms north from Karachi to Rawalpindi and gradually to a new city Islamabad in the 60s due to the same reason. As 25 per cent of the $12 billion estimate of new Egyptian capital project is being mainly invested by Gulf based investors, similar investment can be solicited here in Nepal for airport, other transportation and infrastructure projects for the new capital, and it can be shifted within five years.

Well, now time has come for Nepal to shift its capital further south, maybe to the Hetauda area due to the congestion in Kathmandu. The problem with Bharatpur, Chitwan is that it has become the hub of wild-life conservation, and the expansion of city with massive economic activity and frequent flight of aircraft may badly affect the forests and wildlife. Hetauda, on the other hand, is near Birgunj, has plenty of land for expansion, and is near to Kathmandu as well. The proposed international airport construction site in Nijgadh is also very near from here. Likewise, administrative and financial management of the country from this location is most appropriate due to its easy accessibility to the big city of Kathmandu, busiest border town of Birgunj, new international airport, and both eastern and western parts of the country through airways, railways, and roadways construction. In the aftermath of massive earthquake, when most of the administrative offices, including Presidency, Government Secretariat, Apex Court, Parliament, headquarters of the army, hospitals, and many other important offices are compelled to operate from tents. Is it necessary to rebuild them at the same location, or is it a ripe time to shift all these offices to another appropriate location, so that the central operation of the nation becomes smoother and more accessible to all, and at the same time, Kathmandu valley could be transformed into a major heritage city with greenery all around and wide roads, cable cars, mono rails and other forms of non-polluting transportation means to make the city much more greener, and rich with historic and cultural values.

With shifting the capital, the construction of residential houses in Kathmandu valley will almost stop for a long period. Existing monuments and palaces such as Singha Durbar, Narayanhiti Palace, Shital Niwas, Ghanta Ghar, Kaiser Mahal, etc. may be used as museums and event centers by housing arts and artifacts, vintage machines and antiques, and items depicting the history and culture of Kathmandu valley. With all the fallen monuments restored, tourism industry given a special priority, and modern means of clean transport introduced with plenty of wide roads and green parks, Kathmandu will surely become the capital of cultural heritage and tourism in Nepal— a World Heritage Site in real sense.

Just imagine the new capital equipped with world class infrastructure enabling the law-makers, policy-makers, enforcement agencies, bureaucrats and all public and private sector service providers and stakeholders serving the people and the nation more efficiently. Only the major thing of concern is “will it materialize?” A lot of debate and brainstorming is required on this topic.