21 buses to be added for night service in Kathmandu Valley

Kathmandu, Sept. 8: Acting Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Sunita Dangol has said that an intercity transport network will be developed to expand night-time public transport services in the Kathmandu Valley.

Dangol said preparations are underway to establish a sustainable night transport system with the participation of local governments across the Valley.

She made the statement while discussing the findings of a report submitted by the Impact and Service Expansion Study and Recommendation Task Force on Night Transport. The task force has been conducting the study since Baisakh 1, 2083, in collaboration with Sajha Yatayat.

The study was conducted by a committee coordinated by Jagatman Shrestha, traffic expert advisor to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

During the meeting, officials also reviewed the performance of the three-month trial period of the night bus service. According to the report, 66,952 passengers used the service during the period.

On average, each bus carried 142 passengers per day and generated daily revenue of Rs. 3,134. However, the daily operating cost of a bus was Rs. 4,814, resulting in an average loss of Rs. 1,690, or around 35 per cent, per bus per day.

The study found that passenger movement was highest between 8 pm and 9 pm, when many employees, workers and daily wage earners return home after work.

In terms of route-wise passenger traffic, the Thankot–Airport route accounted for 51.55 per cent of total passengers, while the Budhanilkantha–Lagankhel route accounted for 48.45 per cent.

Among the passengers, 47 per cent travelled short distances of up to five kilometres, 32 per cent travelled medium distances and 21 per cent travelled long distances. The fares are currently Rs. 20 for short-distance travel, Rs. 25 for medium-distance travel and Rs. 30 for long-distance travel.

At present, seven buses operate on the Nagdhunga–Airport and Lagankhel–Budhanilkantha routes. The task force has recommended increasing the number of buses to 28.

The task force has proposed three major approaches to make the night transport service financially sustainable. One of the key proposals is to introduce a “night premium rate” by adding Rs. 12 to the existing fare, citing higher employee allowances and technical and operational costs during night hours.

The report has also recommended installing CCTV cameras and GPS tracking systems on buses and establishing dedicated bus stops to improve passenger safety and service management.

According to the report, expanding the night transport service with the active participation of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Budhanilkantha, Chandragiri, Suryabinayak, Madhyapur Thimi, Godavari and Kirtipur municipalities could help strengthen the Valley’s night-time economy and reduce people’s dependence on private vehicles.

The report has further suggested that public transport in the federal capital be managed through an Urban Area Public Transport Authority to ensure effective regulation, coordination and good governance.

During the first three months, the night service was operated on two routes using seven electric buses. The task force has recommended expanding the service across the Valley by involving eight municipalities to make the system more effective and sustainable. TRN