Government officials suggest Road Management Board
KATHMANDU:
Lawmakers, senior bureaucrats and traffic polices envisioned a high-level Road Management Board for better traffic management in the Valley.
"Only an integrated plan of traffic management can address the current problems," they said in a discussion at the Financial and Labour Relation Committee of Legislative Parliament.
Strong coordination among over a half dozen agencies is necessary to reduce traffic problems, said secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management Dinesh Hari Adhikari.
"Formation of high-level road management board from the stakeholders can better solve the current problems,” he said, adding that single effort from any agency would be meaning less.
According to him, the board should have representation from Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance and municipalities.
The valley roads are congested due to increase in vehicles and there are no significant expansion plans except Bagmati, Bishnumati and Dhobi Khola corridor projects.
About 11,73,000 vehicles are registered in the country and 50 per cent are playing in the Bagmati zone alone.
Above 500,000 vehicles are in Kathmandu Valley and managing them in narrow roads is big challenge to the traffic.
"Narrow roads and lack of parking space are key problems in managing traffic,” said chief of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Office Bigyan Raj Sharma.
Traffic police is working on to ease traffic in the valley but it can not be managed without the expansion of road network.
He also suggests to increase fine to traffic rule violators. "A fine of Rs 200 is not enough to control traffic rule violation," he said, adding that it should be increased to Rs 1,000.
Lawmaker Dr Ram Sharan Mahat asked to develop short-term action plan on traffic management with the concept of road management board. "The concept is good," he said, adding that it will definitely bring good result in future but we want urgent action that can change current traffic situation.
He also suggested to develop flyovers in major intersections of Kathmandu and Lalitpur and operate Bagmati, Bishnumati and Dhobi Khola corridor roads as soon as possible.
"These steps will help significantly reduce traffic jam in downtown,” he said.
Finance secretary Krishna Hari Baskota opined that the government should promote public transport.
"There is no option to promote public transport besides expanding road network, building flyovers and starting mono-rail,” he said, assuring his ministry's support to such concepts.
Lawmaker Hari Roka urged Ministry of Labour and Transport Management to develop a framework of the board and submit it to the government.
Source: THT
Lawmakers, senior bureaucrats and traffic polices envisioned a high-level Road Management Board for better traffic management in the Valley.
"Only an integrated plan of traffic management can address the current problems," they said in a discussion at the Financial and Labour Relation Committee of Legislative Parliament.
Strong coordination among over a half dozen agencies is necessary to reduce traffic problems, said secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management Dinesh Hari Adhikari.
"Formation of high-level road management board from the stakeholders can better solve the current problems,” he said, adding that single effort from any agency would be meaning less.
According to him, the board should have representation from Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance and municipalities.
The valley roads are congested due to increase in vehicles and there are no significant expansion plans except Bagmati, Bishnumati and Dhobi Khola corridor projects.
About 11,73,000 vehicles are registered in the country and 50 per cent are playing in the Bagmati zone alone.
Above 500,000 vehicles are in Kathmandu Valley and managing them in narrow roads is big challenge to the traffic.
"Narrow roads and lack of parking space are key problems in managing traffic,” said chief of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Office Bigyan Raj Sharma.
Traffic police is working on to ease traffic in the valley but it can not be managed without the expansion of road network.
He also suggests to increase fine to traffic rule violators. "A fine of Rs 200 is not enough to control traffic rule violation," he said, adding that it should be increased to Rs 1,000.
Lawmaker Dr Ram Sharan Mahat asked to develop short-term action plan on traffic management with the concept of road management board. "The concept is good," he said, adding that it will definitely bring good result in future but we want urgent action that can change current traffic situation.
He also suggested to develop flyovers in major intersections of Kathmandu and Lalitpur and operate Bagmati, Bishnumati and Dhobi Khola corridor roads as soon as possible.
"These steps will help significantly reduce traffic jam in downtown,” he said.
Finance secretary Krishna Hari Baskota opined that the government should promote public transport.
"There is no option to promote public transport besides expanding road network, building flyovers and starting mono-rail,” he said, assuring his ministry's support to such concepts.
Lawmaker Hari Roka urged Ministry of Labour and Transport Management to develop a framework of the board and submit it to the government.
Source: THT
