KATHMANDU: Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan has proposed making night bus services free across the Kathmandu Valley.
Speaking at a program in Lalitpur, Maharjan stated that the initiative aims to support laborers and low-income individuals who rely on public transportation at night.
Maharjan suggested that the operational costs for the night bus service should be shared among all 18 local levels within the Kathmandu Valley. He noted that both Kathmandu and Lalitpur metropolitan cities are prepared to cover a significant portion of these expenses. He proposed setting a specific cutoff date, such as Baisakh 1, to officially launch the free service.
Highlighting the long-term nature of infrastructure projects, Maharjan emphasized that since the development of a metro rail system could take up to 20 years, night bus services must be managed and expanded as a reliable alternative for public transport in the interim. He stated, ‘If work for the metro begins today, it will take 20 years to arrive. Therefore, until that period, there should be management of night buses, but there has not been much initiative in that direction.’ He claimed that implementing such a system would bring significant changes to the public transportation sector.
