KATHMANDU, Sept 20: How long will it take to cover the distance of 19 km from Ratnapark to Suryavinayak by public transport? There is no definitive answer; it can take up to one to one and a half hours. It takes even more time during office hours. However, now there will be some certainty in this road section. On the occasion of Constitution Day, the government has operated express bus service on the Suryabinayak-Ratna Park road section from Wednesday.
It is estimated that this distance will be covered in 40 to 45 minutes when traveling by express bus service with 'dedicated lanes'. The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has arranged 25 big buses that will run every 5 minutes. Before starting the service, the red marking done by the road department caught the attention of many. Posting the picture of a red marking drawn on a blacktopped road, some people have even made satirical remarks on social media saying ‘For whom is this red carpet rolled out now?’
There is a red mark at 200 meters in the express bus lane. "We are confident that passengers will find this service convenient," said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajendra Prasad Bhatt, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Office, "We believe that the journey on this road section, which can take up to one and a half hours, will now be completed in 40 to 45 minutes."
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He said that the express bus service will operate on this lane from 9 AM to 11 AM and from 4 PM to 6 PM. During this time, public vehicles will be allowed to travel in both directions even on one-way roads. Currently, the express bus service is being launched to accommodate office hours. At other times, like now, all types of vehicles will be allowed to use these lanes. Bhatt mentioned that other vehicles are not permitted to use the red-marked lane during the specified times. Additionally, at road junctions, these buses will receive priority, similar to other essential service buses.
The Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers formed a committee under the coordination of the Director General of the Department of Roads some time ago to study the feasibility of the express bus service. Spokesperson Pokharel said that based on the suggestions given by the said committee, the express bus service with a dedicated lane has been started.
Currently the service lane from Manohara Bridge to Maitighar has been converted into a dedicated lane, while the right lane from Maitighar to Ratnapark has been converted into a dedicated lane, said Pokharel.
If this service is successful, there will be a big revolution in the public transport sector, says SSP Rajendra Prasad Bhatt, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Office. "This is a small but impressive sign of transport management," said Bhatt. He added, "If this is successful, it will boost passengers’ confidence in public transport."
Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Prakash Jwala inaugurated the express bus service from Shanti Batika at Ratnapark at 9AM. Transport Minister of Bagmati Province, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi, Suryabinayak attended the inauguration program.
