KATHMANDU: Acting Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Sunita Dangol has directed the Urban Planning Commission to complete the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for projects approved in the current fiscal year by mid-Asoj (October) to ensure their timely implementation.
Speaking at a meeting of the Urban Planning Commission on Friday, Dangol reviewed the commission’s progress and instructed officials to prioritize projects that can be completed using the city’s own technical and institutional capacity.
“The protection and sustainable use of completed projects are just as important as constructing new ones. It is not enough to focus only on new infrastructure. We must also ensure the long-term preservation and effective utilization of assets built with billions of rupees,” she said.
Dangol urged the commission to use findings from previous studies, expert reports and public expectations as guiding principles while prioritizing work. She highlighted parking management, protection of public land, revitalization of river corridors, support for low-income families, management of the informal sector, skills development and employment, flood mitigation and disaster risk management, education, healthcare and other citizen-centric services as priority areas.
During the meeting, Urban Planning Commission Vice-Chair Dr. Suman Narsingh Rajbhandari said the commission had prepared 327 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) over the past three fiscal years (FY 2023/24–2025/26). According to Rajbhandari, the commission prepared 125 DPRs worth Rs 1.75 billion in FY 2023/24 and 164 DPRs worth Rs 3.03 billion in FY 2024/25. A further 38 DPRs have been completed in the current fiscal year.
Commission members Baburam Bhattarai, Dr. Suraj Raj Kafle, Saraswati Manandhar, Prasun Ratna Bajracharya, Purushottam Mahat and Suraj Dangol also briefed the meeting on progress in their respective sectors. Bhattarai oversees infrastructure and heritage, Kafle is responsible for the social sector, Manandhar, Bajracharya and Mahat look after environmental issues, while Dangol leads the information technology sector.
The meeting also highlighted policy initiatives led by the commission, including the Metro Research Fellowship and Kathmandu Metro Idea and Innovation programs, which aim to promote research-based urban development and foster innovation for the city’s economic and social progress.
Metropolitan Director Basanta Acharya said the commission is responsible for formulating policies and plans, conducting urban research, monitoring the implementation of policies and programmers, and evaluating their impact. Director Dr. Shivaraj Adhikari emphasized the need to formulate policies and programs based on the city’s periodic development plans.
