The committee led by Babu Ram Acharya, secretary at the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM), recently submitted the recommendation to the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), outlining different measures to systematize the ever increasing traffic and pollution in the capital.
“Lifetime of the public vehicles should not be more than 15 years. There should be restriction on the reuse of vehicles completing 15 years of operation as public vehicles in the capital,” the report stated.
The report has also suggested setting up at least five Vehicle Fitness Test Centers for about 100,000 vehicles, issuing licenses for motorcycle and light vehicle drivers for 10 years and five years period respectively and licenses for heavy vehicles for five years period after the probation period (trial period) of a year.
“In a bid to expand and strengthen the regulatory capacity of DoTM and transport offices, transport inspectors should be mobilized along with security personnel in all five development regions,” the report added.
Operation of public vehicles in places and times when private operators are not interested, encouragement for imports and operation of big public vehicles in place of smaller ones and recognition of public vehicles run by private sector as an industry are also among the panel"s recommendation.
The report has also suggested fixing transport fares through annual review of cost rather than only on the basis of fuel cost. “General public should be informed about the fares at least a month before the fares come into effect,” stated the report.
Inclusion of traffic rules in school curriculum, technologically advanced trial centers to end influence of outside persons and discretionary authorities who conduct driving trials, a separate ministry to deal with land, water and air transport system and transport development board for the systematic development of transport sector are also envisioned in the report.
“Transport sector is getting more congested day after day. The existing MoLTM can"t deal with labor and transport issues,” said Acharya. “There must be a separate ministry to deal with land, water and air transport to manage the overall transport system.”
To improve the transport infrastructure in the capital, the report has suggested improving transport network by widening link roads. It has also suggested upgradation of existing Ring Road with four-lane roads and sidewalks.
According to the latest government report, a total of 308,105 vehicles are plying on the Valley roads and 216,052 of them are motorcycles.
The report also suggests prioritizing mass transit vehicles, encouraging Sajha Yatayat to start services at night and odd hours, upgrading Old Bus Park into a multi-storied parking site and construction of overhead cable car services from Budhanilakantha to Chapagaun and Thankot to Sanga.
Likewise, the report suggests construction of overhead bridges in 20 places, including New Baneshwar, Narayan Gopal Chowk, Kalanki, Balaju, Putalisadak, Old Bus Park, Thamel, Kalimati, Chabahil and Maitidevi. It has recommended setting up road repair units at certain distance and traffic lights at additional cross sections, including Narayangopal Chowk, Chabahil, Lainchaur, Maitidevi, Babarmahal, Old Baneshwar and Lainchaur.
The report has also suggested the government to construct flyovers at Chabahil, Kalanki, Koteshwar, Thapathali, Gaushala, Maharajgunj, Tripureshwar and New Baneshwar through which over 5,600 vehicles ply at peak hours.
It also suggests establishing Evening Market Zones at Sundhara, Dharahara, New Road, Indrachowk, Dharmapath, Ranamukteshwar and Pako area by restricting traffic movement for four hours in the evening. It has also suggested declaring Thamel area as a pedestrian zone for four hours in the evening.
prabhakar@myrepublica.com
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