Sanepa Area Becomes Attraction Due to Greenery Amidst Road Construction Delay

Kathmandu. The long delay in the construction of the second phase of the Kathmandu Valley's Ring Road expansion has affected the overall urban form of the capital. Many places look ugly due to construction materials, dust, and disorganized roads, causing hardship to the general public. However, the Sanepa area in Lalitpur, under the Koteshwor-Kalanki road section of the Ring Road, has become a center of attraction due to its greenery.

The Sanepa area has become lush green after the trees planted along the roadside about seven years ago have grown well in collaboration with Lalitpur Metropolitan City and various stakeholders. The greenery spread on both sides of the road has enhanced the beauty of the city and contributed significantly to making the environment clean.

Especially during the current summer, after the dense trees provide coolness, local residents, pedestrians, and travelers often sit by the roadside to rest for a while and escape the heat. The greenery has also made the busy road with vehicle traffic more attractive and comfortable.

Lalitpur Metropolitan City has stated that it is implementing long-term plans and programs with the priority of creating a green city. The metropolis has been conducting tree planting campaigns by adopting special policies in the areas along the right and left sides of the road, riverbanks, and areas at risk of erosion.

Similarly, the metropolis has arranged for planting saplings of specified species under the social responsibility of the private sector. In coordination with various stakeholders, including the 'Clean Air Project', programs for expanding greenery and environmental conservation have been advanced to control the increasing air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley.

Although many areas of the capital look chaotic due to the delay in Ring Road construction, the greenery in Sanepa has presented a positive example of how planned tree planting and long-term conservation can make the urban environment beautiful, clean, and livable. Photo: Suryams Upreti/Nepal Photo Library