Well managed public transportation is a sign of development. But unfortunately, in Kathmandu it’s public transportation isn’t properly managed.

Similarly the numbers of public and private vehicles have increased accordingly. If this continues, there is danger that in 10 years how will five million vehicles find space to drive in the 15 hundred kilometer of roads that is accessible now.

A lack of reliable and efficient transportation is often a huge barrier.

In Kathmandu, it’s very troublesome to travel in public vehicles. People have to squeeze into crowded public vehicles every day. Majority of the public vehicles in the country are being operated by bus operators and syndicates without any proper plans and policies.

Many public vehicles are dirty with seats often torn and not well managed. They squeeze passengers haphazardly. The behavior of drivers and conductors is often boorish and abusive. But people are compelled to travel in such vehicles as they have no options.

Sometimes, its very disheartening to see old fragile people traveling in public vehicles with much difficulty.

There are rules but unfortunately, they aren’t implemented effectively. Bus, micros, tempos stop wherever they like to pick up the passengers. There are fixed spot to stop vehicles but no one obeys. Not only drivers but commuters are also responsible for fuelling unmanaged traffic.

People cross the road from wherever they like. There are sky bridges and zebra crossings but people fail to use them.

Motorbike riders are often in haste. These kinds of activities propel chaos in the traffic. It is the outcome of feeble traffic rules and their implementation. There are traffic lights but they do not work.

Some 15 years ago, traffic lights were installed in 10 places and at that time, there were around 1 lakh 67 thousand vehicles. Today the number of vehicles have increased to 7 lakhs.

Many young women and girls in Kathmandu Valley don’t like to use public transport because of sexual harassment, which is rife despite attempts by the authorities to find solutions to the problem.

Good public transport systems are an essential part of safe, clean and affordable transport for development. From a social perspective, public transport is often the only means of transport for the poor.

A lack of reliable and efficient transportation is often a huge barrier.