The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has launched the process of re-designing public transport routes in its bid to effectively manage traffic in the Kathmandu valley.

As per the new plan, DoTM aims at reducing the number of routes for public vehicles to 66 from existing 200 routes.

The government body has concluded that higher number of such routes has resulted in traffic congestion, increasing accidents, and pollution.

“Especially small vehicles plying within the Ring Road and core city areas have contributed to the sorry state of traffic in Kathmandu,” Tok Raj Pandey, spokesperson for DoTM told the Post. “We are expecting a significant drop in the number of accidents after the reduction of the routes.”

The government has segregated the proposed 66 routes into three parts on the basis of priority. 

According to Pandey, eight major routes in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur along with Ring Road fall under the top-most priority. Likewise, 16 routes are under second and 42 routes under third priorities. “We will gradually implement it. We have, in fact, already started issuing route permits based on the new adjustment to new vehicles,” said Pandey.

DoTM is of the view that despite an abundant number of public vehicles they have not succeeded in fulfilling the demand as a huge number vehicles like mini bus, micro-bus and electric tempo have limited accommodation capacity.

The Valley’s population stands at around 4 million, including those arriving the Capital for various tasks. Higher population density and demand for urban mobility have prompted the people to use small vehicles such as two-wheelers, cabs and small-sized buses, among others.

In a bid to promote mass transport and get rid of small vehicles, the government in the budget for 2014-15 has reduced customs duty to 5 percent on the imports of vehicles having capacity of more than 40 seats. Since then, a number or players from public and private sectors have introduced buses with more than 40 seats.

Although the government’s decision to reduce public transport routes seems to be a welcome move, Pandey says DoTM is aware that it could cause inconvenience to people residing in core city areas as well as suburbs.

“Reduction in route permits, specially, will impact those living;/working in suburban areas and travelling in odd hours. Having said that, we cannot halt reforms in the transportation sector for such minor issues,” said Pandey. 

Meanwhile, DoTM will start prohibiting public vehicles more than 20 years old from plying on Valley roads from Wednesday.