KATHMANDU, Oct 11: Major streets in Kathmandu have been repaved overnight. Dusty and dirty roads now are now clean and shining. Road sidewalks are painted and well-decorated.
Flex banners representing heritages have been set up along the road-side. Yes, Kathmandu looks different. It may also be due to less traffic during the festive season and pleasant weather.
However, recent development observed in Kathmandu is not a regular and usual one. It has been executed overnight to welcome the President of China Xi Jinping who is arriving in Kathmandu on Saturday for a two-day state visit at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
Pay your attention
The most surprising is that all the improvement on the roadside is seen only along the route through which Xi will travel during his 20-hour stopover in Kathmandu on his way back to home from India after holding an informal meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi.
Kathmandu had got a facelift in the same way when Indian Prime Minister Modi paid an official visit last year.
People now question on the momentary development done only during high-profile-visits. They now wonder whether the blacktopped roads would remain long last.
Will the parks grow green for longer? Will potholes not be seen after one or two months from now?- every commoner in the capital have the same question in mind at present.
Let’s forget about quality. It, however, justifies that political willpower is a must to carry out any development work. If desired, it is proved; huge works can be executed in a short period.
Years-long contracts are still undone. Potholes are widening in the capital. Streets are covered with a cloud of dust. The heap of garbage is mounting.
Isn’t it a cruel joke to have seen Xi route decorated and maintained overnight while having miserable road conditions not only in the rural areas but also in the cities including Kathmandu?
