Infrastructure Expert Questions Kathmandu BRT and Railway Plans

Kathmandu. Infrastructure expert Dr. Suryaraj Acharya has made his views public on the infrastructure issues included in the government's upcoming fiscal year's policy and program, questioning the concept of an integrated transport master plan and the proposal for BRT in Kathmandu and the current direction of the railway.

Commenting via social media, Dr. Acharya has positively taken the government's policy to create an 'Integrated National Transport Master Plan' covering road, rail, water, ropeway, and air transport. However, he emphasized that such a master plan should not be limited to paper but should also guide project selection and investment priorities, and its implementation should be effective.

Dr. Acharya has deemed the government's proposal to prepare a detailed design and implement 'Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)' in Kathmandu as inappropriate. Arguing that international experiences and claims in some donor agency reports do not match everywhere, he pointed out the risk that BRT in a city with a narrow road structure like Kathmandu will not solve the problem but will further complicate the existing traffic situation.

His suggestion is to focus on other practical alternatives to organize and facilitate conventional bus services rather than BRT on Kathmandu's roads.

Similarly, he has expressed the view that the construction work of the East-West railway should not proceed with the current design. His argument is that it is appropriate to start the construction process only after a detailed technical review.

While considering the government's policy to advance the Kerung-Kathmandu and Raxaul-Kathmandu railway lines as a step in the right direction, he mentioned that a serious technical review of the Raxaul-Kathmandu railway report is necessary.