— Sunil Poudyal

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Sunil Poudyal, is the Traffic Engineer at Traffic Engineering and Safety division of the Department of Roads. He spoke to THAKUR AMGAI on various issues related to traffic safety and public transportation. Excerpts:

What is the situation of roads in the Kathmandu valley?

Everybody knows the state of roads in Kathmandu Valley. It is in front of everyone’s eyes here. If you had asked me about the state of roads in Rolpa, I could have exaggerated and told you that the condition is excellent, because you would not go and watch there. But, you yourself can see the state of roads in Kathmandu.

Is the road infrastructure enough to support the existing influx population and traffic of the valley?

No, it is not. There is a need of extensive planning not in just roads but in the entire city. But as it is a historical city and many infrastructures are already set up, it is not easy to do so. The cost of road construction here is many fold expensive than in other places, because of the need to compensate people whose lands and houses have to be acquired. A country with limited resources like ours cannot afford it.

So, what is the immediate solution to the present problems in transportation?

A need-based assessment should be done and the distribution of route permits and traffic management should be done in a scientific manner. Proper vehicles should be allowed in proper places. Running a large bus in residential area and a Safa tempo in the ring road is no solution to the problem. The responsible government agencies should play a pro-active role.